battery backups and surge protectors help with things like this. It could have been some kind of power spike. But, I'm not an electrical engineer.
Is your MacBook still OK? Do you have any extra batteries to use with your MacBook?
What did the cable look like before it happened?
Sorry to say but... I believe the pictures are fake/customer abuse.
For me it looks more likely that the cable it cut in half at one side. When the cable gets hot it will melt... does someone see melted pvc?
If the cable starts burning or gets hot why the wires inside are broken then?
To everyone saying 'Apple has to have fixed this problem by now' I suggest you read the latest comments on Apple's OWN power adapters (here). People are still complaining about this.
It's been this was ever since the iBook, and I can't believe Apple hasn't received a class-action lawsuit for this yet. A recall almost doesn't cut it.
Sorry dude...Dude i can assure you that it was no damage by me... I would not intentionally put myself out of my macbook for 3-5 days...
Sorry to say but... I believe the pictures are fake/customer abuse.
For me it looks more likely that the cable it cut in half at one side. When the cable gets hot it will melt... does someone see melted pvc?
If the cable starts burning or gets hot why the wires inside are broken then?
The cable looks split to me, not cut. The wires inside look frayed and that is what probably started the fire in the first place.
To the OP:
Did you wind and unwind the cable a lot for carrying around? Perhaps the constant winding can fray the cables inside the cord. Definitely a design flaw.
I always wound it around the adapters provided hook things... It would get wound maybe 3-4times a week.