[rca2000]

Some interesting things have been discussed here haven't they??

Someone mentioned lightning:: I am no physicist--BUT...I can think of ONE very REMOTE but MAYBE possible explanation

First:: there are a couple of "initial conditions" that would HAVE to be met here--for this to happen.

1--the CABINET MUST have been made of metal.
2--the set MUST have been hooked to an MATV system or rooftop antenna.

If so-I think HERE is what MAYBE could have happened:

The set is on, playing normally. Lightning, hits the rooftop antenna, or CLOSE (it does NOT really matter if it hit, a close strike is sufficent).

For a couple of milliseconds or so, BEFORE the resistance of the lead-in, amp tubes(of the MATV amp, if used) and power cord, casue destruction, a VERY VERY high current/voltage pulse WITH a VERY powerful magnetic field, could enter the set, AND IF it had a metal cabinet, in THEORY, for a brief milisecond, the cabinet COULD have become a VERY powerful magnetic source, before it totally vaporized and exploded.

That is my THEORY--as I said--it is a VERY remote possibility--but maybe possible. and it is the ONLY practical explanation I could think of.

Because--otherwise, the power line would have to supply more than 500 -1000 amps, to provide probably 15k Gauss of magnetic power, needed to magnetize the cabinet and cause the effect.