Today the Consumer Products Safety Commission announced a massive recall of 37.8 million Kidde fire extinguishers in the United States. The safety related issues are the plastic handles and nozzles that can break, become clogged, or require excessive force to discharge, and they may fail to activate during a fire emergency. In addition, the nozzle can detach with enough force to pose an impact hazard. About 2.7 million of the extinguishers were also sold in Canada.
The recall applies to some Kidde models manufactured during the last 43 years.
The CPSC points to the death of a person in 2014 who died after his car crashed and burned. Police attempted to use two of the suspect extinguishers, but both failed.
The CPSC website has a list of the models that are affected. Consumers having one of the extinguishers should immediately contact Kidde to request a free replacement and for instructions on returning the recalled unit, as it may not work properly when needed during an emergency.
Someone spending time trying to get a defective extinguisher to work would be much better off escaping from the fire.
