That wasn't mentioned in the instruction manual

So this afternoon I decided to pick up my guitar which I have been avoiding for about a month. Now, as anyone who plays knows, after that long in the case it will not be tuned as good as it should be. So I grabbed my Godin Exit-22, and my Fender ST-1 Stage Tuner and prepare to tune. Sure enough, the batteries die. Luckily I have an Energizer Max 9V D battery still in the package. I switch the batteries, turn it on to tune the guitar and nothing happens. Hmm. Maybe the tuner is dead; it is an older tuner.

I go to look for another D battery, or at least a wall adapter to try plugging it in. With no luck I returned to my room unable to play guitar today. After entering the room I notice that it smells terrible. Like burning plastic. I have several candles lit around my room so I blow them out. I realize the smell is getting worse. Sure enough, I pick up my tuner and smoke is coming out of the on/off switch hole, and the output socket.

I turn the tuner off and the smoke keeps coming. Take the battery out? More smoke. So I went to the last resort... douse it in water. This stopped the smoke, but my room still smells like burnt plastic.

Now, I've had this tuner for many years (about 7-8 I believe), but I only use it once in a while. If I had left my room for an extended period, or gone to buy new batteries, it could have caught fire and who knows what would have happened. I love my Fender guitars and my amps, but I cannot believe that my tuner would suddenly decide to do this.

I am not sure what to do though. I am e-mailing and calling Fender Customer Relations, and otherwise figure I am going to be stuck buying a new tuner... not a good time to be a poor university student eh?