Dad changed a burned out regular bulb in a light socket at his house last week....put in a CFL and it immediately popped and started smoking. He quickly pulled the plug on the light and got the bulb out and found another regular bulb for that light.
It wasn't the lamp...just faulty CFL bulb. These were not cheap ones...these were the ones that were supposed to last for several years.
He took it to Ace to recycle and B#$%#...