40 Million Fire Extinguishers Recalled – Linked to Injuries, Death

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Chris Sorensen

Kidde, a unit of United Technologies Corp., has announced the recall of more than 40 million fire extinguishers sold in the United States and Canada since 1973. The extinguishers can become clogged, or may require excessive effort to operate the units, and they may fail to work in an emergency. The nozzle on the units may also come off with enough force to cause damage or injuries.

According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, two styles of extinguishers – those with plastic handles, as well as push-button “Pindicator” units - are impacted by the recall and must be replaced. Over 130 models with plastic handles manufactured between January 1, 1973, and August 15, 2017, are subject to the recall. An additional eight models activated by pushing a button are subject to recall. Those units were built between August 11, 1995 and September 27, 2017.

A least one death has been linked to failure of one of the recalled extinguishers. In 2014, a person died following a car crash and subsequent fire. Fire extinguishers used by emergency responders would not work.

The extinguishers have also been linked to 16 reports of injuries and 91 reports of property damage. There are 391 reports where the units did not work, were only partly functional, or where the nozzle detached from the extinguisher.

The recalled extinguishers were manufactured in the United States and Mexico. About 38 million were sold in the United States, along with nearly three million in Canada.

Kidde can be contacted at www.kidde.com or by calling 855-271-0773 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Eastern time Monday through Friday or 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern time Saturday and Sunday. The company is offering free replacement of the recalled extinguishers, and will also provide instruction to return the affected units.

Recalled models include:

Plastic-handle models produced between January 1, 1973 and October 25, 2015
2A40BC	Gillette TPS-1 1A10BC	Sams SM 340
6 RAP	Home 10BC	Sanford 1A10BC
6 TAP	Home 1A10BC	Sanford 2A40BC
Ademco 720 1A10BC	Home 2A40BC	Sanford TPS-1 1A10BC
Ademco 722 2A40BC	Home H-10 10BC	Sanford TPS-1 2A40BC
ADT 3A40BC	Home H-110 1A10BC	Sears 2RPS 5BC
All Purpose 2A40BC	Home H-240 2A-40BC	Sears 58033 10BC
Bicentenial RPS-2 10BC	Honeywell 1A10BC	Sears 58043 1A10BC
Bicentenial TPS-2 1A-10BC	Honeywell TPS-1 1A10BC	Sears 5805 2A40BC
Costco 340	J.L. 2A40BC	Sears 958034
FA 340HD	J.L. TPS-1 2A40BC	Sears 958044
FA240HD	Kadet 2RPS-1 5BC	Sears 958054
FC 340Z	Kidde 10BC	Sears 958075
FC Super	Kidde 1A10BC	Sears RPS-1 10BC
FC210R-C8S	Kidde 2A40BC	Sears TPS-1 1A10BC
Fire Away 10BC Spanish	Kidde 40BC	Sears TPS-1 2A40BC
Fire Away 1A10BC Spanish	Kidde RPS-1 10BC	Traveler 10BC
Fire Away 2A40BC Spanish	Kidde RPS-1 40BC	Traveler 1A10BC
Fireaway 10 (F-10)	Kidde TPS-1 1A10BC	Traveler 2A40BC
Fireaway 10BC	Kidde TPS-1 2A40BC	Traveler T-10 10BC
Fireaway 110 (F-110)	KX 2-1/2 TCZ	Traveler T-110 1A10BC
Fireaway 1A10BC	Mariner 10BC	Traveler T-240 2A40BC
Fireaway 240 (F-240)	Mariner 1A10BC	Volunteer 1A10BC
Fireaway 2A40BC	Mariner 2A40BC	Volunteer TPS-V 1A10BC
Force 9 2A40BC	Mariner M-10 10BC	XL 2.5 TCZ
FS 340Z	Mariner M-110 1A10BC	XL 2.5 TCZ-3
Fuller 420 1A10BC	Mariner M-240 2A40BC	XL 2.5 TCZ-4
Fuller Brush 420 1A10BC	Master Protection 2A40BC	XL 2.75 RZ
FX210	Montgomery Ward 10BC	XL 2.75 RZ-3
FX210R	Montgomery Ward 1A-10BC	XL 2-3/4 RZ
FX210W	Montgomery Ward 8627 1A10BC	XL 340HD
FX340GW	Montgomery Ward 8637 10BC	XL 4 TXZ
FX340GW-2	Quell 10BC	XL 5 PK
FX340H	Quell 1A10BC	XL 5 TCZ
FX340SC	Quell RPS-1 10BC	XL 5 TCZ-1
FX340SC-2	Quell TPS-1 1A10BC	XL5 MR
Gillette 1A10BC	Quell ZRPS 5BC	XL 6 RZ

Plastic-handle models with date codes between January 2, 2012 and August 15, 2017
AUTO FX5 II-1	FC5	M10G
FA10G	FS10	M10GM
FA10T	FS110	M110G
FA110G	FS5	M110GM
FA5-1	FX10K	M5G
FA5G	FX5 II	M5GM
FC10	H110G	RESSP
FC110	H5G