Kidde recalls 4.6 million fire extinguishers
Fire extinguisher maker Kidde has recalled about 4.6 million disposable extinguishers, saying a faulty plastic valve can prevent them from fully discharging when used.
The company has received 11 complaints about extinguishers not working when the trigger was pressed repeatedly during a fire, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. No injuries have been reported.
According to a statement on Kidde’s website, the company discovered that a supplier in Mexico had “built a component that is out-of-specification.”
The 31 affected models are Kidde brand extinguishers with Zytel brand valves made of black plastic. The extinguishers are white, red or silver, have a rating of “BC” or “ABC” on them and were manufactured between July 23, 2013 and Oct. 15, 2014 and sold from August 2013 to November 2014 at retailers including Walmart, Home Depot and Menards.
The manufacture date can be found as part of a 10-digit number stamped on the side of the cylinder near the bottom. On 2013 models, the fifth through ninth digits will be between 20413 and 36513 if the extinguisher has been recalled, and on the 2014 models they’ll be between 00114 and 28814.
Consumers who think they have one of the recalled extinguishers are advised to contact Kidde for a replacement. They can call a toll-free number — 855-283-7991 — from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or go to kidde.com and click on “Safety Notice” for more information.
