US News

Almost 330,000 Smoke Alarms Recalled Due to Malfunction Issues


The organization reported receiving eight complaints regarding the alarm’s failure during testing. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported to date.

Numerous smoke alarms produced by a Florida-based manufacturer have been recalled due to their inability to operate and notify users of potential fire hazards.

Three61 has recalled approximately 328,000 Samurai Mini Smoke Alarms due to their failure to activate when smoke is present, as outlined in a recall notice from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) dated January 16. These products, manufactured in China, were sold nationwide exclusively through Home Shopping Network from July 2020 to November 2024, priced between $40 and $50.

According to the notice, “Smoke sensitivity tests conducted by the CPSC revealed that one of the tested detectors did not activate when exposed to specified levels of smoke.”

Despite the fact that this situation posed a risk of smoke inhalation or death, it is noteworthy that no injuries have been reported. The company stated that they received eight reports of the alarm malfunctioning during testing.

The model SM1 alarms are approximately 2.5 by 2.5 by 2.5 inches in size and were packaged in sets of two or three. Consumers are encouraged to contact the company for a free replacement, which includes shipping costs.

Three61 has emphasized that the lithium-ion batteries contained within the alarms must be disposed of in accordance with local and state regulations.

“Refrain from discarding the recalled battery in the trash. Do not place this recalled battery in the used battery recycling bins available at various retail and home improvement stores.”

The CPSC has issued several alerts over the last year regarding defective smoke alarms that fail to notify consumers.

In November, the agency urged consumers to “immediately cease use” of Tiergrade combination smoke and carbon monoxide detectors due to significant performance issues.

“If a combination smoke and carbon monoxide detector is defective and fails to alert consumers properly, they will not be notified of the dangers associated with carbon monoxide (CO) or fire, thus heightening the risk of severe injury or fatality,” the CPSC remarked.

“Annually, over 200 individuals in the United States die from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning linked to consumer products. Moreover, the majority of fatalities from residential fires result from smoke inhalation rather than flames or heat, leaving consumers with as little as three minutes to escape once a fire ignites.”

Earlier in June, the CPSC issued a warning concerning smoke and carbon monoxide detectors produced by the Chinese manufacturer Shenzhen Lidingfeng Tech.

The agency discovered that these products failed to meet the smoke alarm safety standard UL 217 and “may not provide alerts” to consumers in the event of household fires.

Per the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), smoke alarms were present in 74% of reported residential fires between 2018 and 2022, yet nearly 60% of deaths due to fires occurred either in residences without smoke alarms or where the alarms failed to activate.

“Among fire fatalities in homes where smoke alarms were functioning, 28% happened when the alarm did not notify residents.”

NFPA recommends that every household “install smoke alarms in each sleeping room and outside every separate sleeping area. Ensure alarms are installed on all levels of the home.” Moreover, “test all smoke alarms at least once a month, pressing the test button to verify functionality.”



Source link

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.