U.S.

Voluntary Christmas Lights Recalls

December 22, 2000 / 9:19 AM EST / AP

Artificial Christmas trees sold at Walgreen stores nationwide and miniature Christmas lights sold in New York are being voluntarily recalled because of to electrical shock and fire hazards.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission says anyone who owns the recalled products should stop using them and return the products to the place of purchase for a refund.

A color wheel in the tree stand used to light the trees can overheat and catch fire, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said. There are two known instances of the wheel overheating and melting, but no reports of injuries.

The 9,000 trees, 3-feet tall with fiber optic lights, candles and a star topper, come from Walgreen Co. of Deerfield, Ill.

Who To Call

Not sure whether the tree or lights you have are part of this recall?

Here's who to call:

Walgreen's, 877-510-0167
GEM stores, 718-217-5600, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. EST, call collect, Monday through Friday.
Sun Sun Industries, 201-935-4637, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. EST, call collect, Monday through Friday.
Pioneer Paper Co., 718-417-1717, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. EST, call collect, Monday through Friday.

(Source: AP)

The 50,000 sets of miniature Christmas lights and icicle-style lights were sold in New York by GEM Stores from November to December.

The lights have undersized wires that can pull out of the plugs and light sockets, posing electric shock and fire hazards to consumers. No injuries were reported.

Also, 12,000 sets of miniature Christmas lights by Sun Sun Industries Inc. of Carlstadt, N.J., are being recalled for the same reason. They were sold in M&S Bargain Hunter stores in New York from October to December. No injuries were reported.

A similar problem also is the reason for the recall of 2,600 sets of musical and miniature Christmas lights by Pioneer Paper Co. of New York. They were sold at discount stores in New York from September to December. No injuries were reported.