APC Surge Protectors Recalled Due to Fire Hazard

On October 3, 2013, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPCS) announce the recall of Schneider Electric APC Surge Protectors stating that the product “can overheat, smoke and melt, posing fire hazard.” According to the recall notice, the company received 700 reports of the surge protectors overheating and melting and 55 claims of property damage caused by smoke and fire. One incident reported $916,000 in fire damage to a home; another report claimed there was $750,000 in fire damage to a medical facility. They received 13 reports of injuries, including smoke inhalation and burns.

The recall notice applies to APC 7 & 8 series SurgeArrest surge protectors manufactured before 2003. They were produced by American Power Conversion (APC), now Schneider Electric, of West Kingston, RI and sold at Best Buy, Circuit City, Comp USA and other stores nationwide from January 1993 through December 2002. See the CPSC website for a complete list of serial numbers included in the recall.

Consumers are advised to stop using the surge protectors immediately and contact Schneider Electric for a free replacement.

Consumer Contact:  Schneider Electric IT Corp., 1-888-437-4007 or http://recall.apc.com

Dehumidifiers Recalled Due to Fire & Burn Hazard

Gree Electric Appliances of China issued a recall of 12 Brands of dehumidifiers after receiving 165 reports from consumers, including 46 reports of fires and over $2 million in property damage.  According to the September 12, 2013 recall announcement, there is danger of the dehumidifiers overheating and catching on fire. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a warning advising consumers to stop using the products immediately.

The brand names covered by the recall include: Danby, De’Longhi, Fedders, Fellini, Frigidaire, Gree, Kenmore, Norpole, Premiere, Seabreeze, SoleusAir and SuperClima. The dehumidifiers sold for $110 – $400, and were available in stores from 2005 to 2013. They were purchased from Home Depot, Lowe’s, Sam’s Club, Kmart, Menards, Sears and other stores in the U.S. and Canada. They were also available online from Amazon.

The complete list of brand names and model numbers covered by the recall, as well refund information, is available on the CPCS website.

To receive a refund consumers should contact Gree Electric at 866-853-22802 or online at www.greeusa.com.

Children’s Products Recently Recalled

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced recalls of the following children’s products:

1.  As of May 29, 2013, Children’s Water Bottles sold by H&M have been recalled due to the risk of the spout breaking off and posing a choking hazard. Although there have been no reports of injuries, H&M received one report from a consumer stating that  the spout broke off in a child’s mouth.

Consumers should stop using the water bottles immediately and contact H&M (855-466-7467 or http://www.hm.com) to receive a postage paid return mailer along with a complete refund and $25 gift certificate. The water bottles were sold exclusively at H&M stores from July 2012 through March 2013.

2.  Pottery Barn Sweet Lambie Crib Bumbers have been recalled due to reports of the decorative stitching becoming loose and children getting entangled in the threads. The company has received two reports of children getting entangled in the stitching, including one incident where the  threads became wrapped around an infant’s neck. The recall covers bumpers manufactured from April 2009 to July 2012, model numbers 708859, 708917 0r 7988348.

Customers are advised to stop using crib bumpers with the above model numbers and dates and contact Pottery Barn Kids for instructions on how to receive a complete refund or a replacement crib bumper. Contact Information: toll-free at (855) 323-5138, or online at www.potterybarnkids.com, click on Safety Recalls.

Visit the CPSC webpage for more information pertaining to these and other consumer product recalls.