40 Million Fire Extinguishers Recalled In US & Canada; 1 Death Reported
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- More than 40 million fire extinguishers in the U.S. and Canada are being recalled because they might not work in an emergency.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says it's aware of one death because of a problem with extinguishers with plastic handles made by Kidde.
In 2014, extinguishers didn't work for emergency responders trying to fight a car fire after a crash. The victim died.
There have been about 391 reports of failure, about 16 injuries reported and approximately 91 reports of property damage.
The government says the extinguishers can become clogged. Also, the nozzle can come off.
About 37.8 million fire extinguishers are being recalled in the United States while 2.7 million are being recalled in Canada.
The CPSC says consumers with the defective fire extinguishers "should immediately contact Kidde to request a free replacement fire extinguisher and for instructions on returning the recalled unit, as it may not work properly in a fire emergency."
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