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Last updated on Friday, November 3, 2017
(UNDATED) - Kidde has recalled nearly 38 million fire extinguishers that could fail to work in case of an emergency.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the extinguishers can become clogged or require excessive force in order to get them to discharge. In addition, the nozzle can detach, posing an impact hazard.
The recall involves 134 models of fire extinguishers made between Jan. 1, 1973, and Aug. 15, 2017, including extinguishers that were previously recalled in March 2009 and February 2015.
The products were red or white and were either ABC- or BC-rated. The model number is printed on the fire extinguisher's label; for units made in 2007 and beyond, the date of manufacture is a 10-digit date code printed on the side of the cylinder near the bottom.
According to the CPSC:
Digits five through nine represent the day and year of manufacture in DDDYY format. Date codes for recalled models manufactured from January 2, 2012 through August 15, 2017 are 00212 through 22717. For units produced before 2007, a date code is not printed on the fire extinguisher.
You can find a complete list of the affected models here.
Customers should contact Kidde for a free replacement and for instructions on how to return the product.
According to the CPSC, a 2014 incident involving one of the extinguishers led to a person's death after emergency responders couldn't get it to work. There have been 391 reports of failed or limited activation or nozzle detachment. Sixteen injuries linked to the problem have been reported, along with 91 reports of property damage.
The extinguishers were sold at Menards, Montgomery Ward, Sears, Home Depot, Walmart and other stores. Online, they were available on Amazon.com, ShopKidde.com and other online retailers. They were also sold with commercial trucks, recreational vehicles, personal watercraft and boats.
Customers can call Kidde toll-free at 855-271-0773 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday, or online at .
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