FEBRUARY
12, 2015
Kidde is
recalling nearly 5 million disposable fire extinguishers because they may not
discharge properly, posing a risk of injury.
The company
said Thursday that it has received 11 reports that the fire extinguishers
failed to discharge as expected. No injuries have been reported.
Kidde said
that a faulty valve component may cause the fire extinguishers to not fully
discharge when the lever is repeatedly pressed and released during a fire
emergency. Consumers were advised to contact Kidde immediately for a
replacement fire extinguisher.
The recall
includes approximately 4.6 million fire extinguishers in the U.S. and 175,000
in Canada. There are
31 models of Kidde disposable fire extinguishers with Zytel black plastic
valves included in the recall. The recalled fire extinguishers are red, white
or silver and are either ABC or BC rated. The ratings are located to the right
of the nameplate.
The fire
extinguishers were sold from August 2013 through November 2014. They were sold
online and at Home Depot, Menards, Walmart and other department, home and
hardware stores across the country. The fire extinguishers priced between $18
and $65, and about $200 for model XL 5MR.
Model
numbers involved in the recall include 10BC, 1A 10BC, 1A 10BCW, 2A10BC, 5BC,
5BCW, FA10G, FA110, FA5B, FC10, FC110, FC5, FH/ RESSP, FX10, FX10BC, FX10K,
FX210, FX210R, FX210W, FX340GW, FX340SC, FX5II, KFH Twin, M110 Twin, M5 Twin,
Mariner 10, Mariner 110, Mariner 5, Mariner 5 G, RESSP and XL 5MR. Model numbers
can be found on a nameplate on the front of the fire extinguisher.
The agency
said the fire extinguishers were imported by Walter Kidde Portable Equipment
Company Inc. of Mebane, North Carolina
Kidde can
be reached toll-free at (855) 283-7991 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through
Friday, or online at www.kidde.com and click on Product Safety Notice for more
information.
Here's what
Kidde has to say about the recall:
Kidde has
made this issue a high priority, with a number of teams assigned to
investigate, resolve and communicate the issue. In a small number of instances,
Kidde found that a supplier built a component that is out of specification.
Follow-up field testing found a low risk of the potential extinguishers not
working as designed. However, there is no way to identify which units may fail
to discharge as designed. Out of an abundance of caution, we have stopped
shipment of affected extinguishers, are working cooperatively with the CPSC to
recall any units on store shelves, and are working to replace affected units in
homes.