Lack of Consumer Response Prompts Unusual Re-announcement of Recall of Dehumidifiers That Have Caused More Than One Million Dollars in Property Damage
Initially recalled in December of 2009, yesterday LG Electronics Tianjin Appliance Co., in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), urged consumers to check if they have Goldstar or Comfort-Aire dehumidifiers. The firm is re-announcing the recall of these dangerous products because only two percent of the 98,000 consumers who purchased these units have received a free repair, which means that consumers and their property remain at serious risk. The power connector for the dehumidifiers compressor can short circuit, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers and their property. The initial recall followed eleven incidents, including four significant fires. Since that time, the company has received sixteen additional incident reports of arcing, smoke and fire associated with the dehumidifiers, including nine significant fires. No injuries have been reported. Fires are reported to have caused more than $1 million in property damage including: $500,000 in damage to a home in Gibsonia, Pa. $200,000 in damage to a home in New Brighton, Minn. $183,000 in damage to a home in Hudson, Mass. $192,000 in damage to a home in Valparaiso, Ind. $139,000 in damage to a home in Salem, Ohio $129,000 in damage to a home in Brielle, N.J. $ 95,000 in damage to a home in Philadelphia, Pa. Because of the severity of the risks, CPSC and LG Electronics are concerned with the lack of consumer response to the recall. Anyone who has the recalled dehumidifiers is strongly encouraged to immediately stop using them, unplug them, and contact LG Electronics for the free repair. The recall involves the 30 pint portable dehumidifiers sold under the Goldstar and Comfort-Aire brands. The dehumidifiers are white with a red shut-off button, controls for fan speed and humidity control, and a front-loading water bucket. The recalled dehumidifiers were sold at The Home Depot, Walmart, Ace Hardware, Do It Best, Orgill Inc., and other retailers nationwide from January 2007 through June 2008 for between $140 and $150. They were manufactured in China. The lawyers at Levine & Slavit have decades of experience handling personal injury claims involving dangerous and defective products . If you or someone close to you has been injured by a product that was not properly manufactured, designed or labeled, contact the offices of Levine & Slavit in New York or Long Island for their help. We have offices in Manhattan and Long Island, handling cases in New York City, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and surrounding areas including Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester Counties. For 50 years spanning 3 generations, we have obtained results for satisfied clients. To learn more, watch our videos.
