Texans are vigilant about safety and take precautions. Part of that revolves around household items, such as smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Most people do not think for one second that these products themselves might be faulty and fail when they are needed. Unfortunately, it happens, and people can suffer injury and death as a result. This makes these items a dangerous product and can be the basis for a product liability lawsuit.
A widespread recall of fire extinguishers is underway. These products, manufactured by Kidde, were recalled because of several reported issues including clogging and needing extra force to discharge. They can also fail to work when there is a fire. The nozzle can detach and create an impact risk. A person is believed to have died in 2014 when there was a car fire. Emergency personnel could not get the fire extinguisher to work. So far, there have been close to 400 reports of the fire extinguishers failing to work. 16 people were injured and there were 91 reports that property had been damaged. The recall of 37.8 million of these fire extinguishers covers 134 models that were made as recently as August 2017 and as far back as January 1973.
Purchasing a product for the home should not end with people being injured or killed. This is especially true when that product’s purpose is to increase safety. However, some companies make mistakes and the products do not work as they are supposed to. They are expected to test and ensure that their products do what they should and are safe. If there is a failure in any step in the process from manufacture to sale, that can cause people to suffer unnecessary injury and death. Those who have been affected by a dangerous product might not even realize that the product was faulty until news of others suffering the same fate or a product recall is initiated. A lawsuit might be possible if there was dangerous product that injured or killed a customer.
These fire extinguishers are considered dangerous because they do not work and the extinguisher itself can cause injuries to people. For those who believe they might have been affected by the products in this recall, it is crucial to discuss a case with an attorney who is experienced in products liability as soon as possible to seek compensation.
Source: Dallas Patch, “Fire Extinguisher Maker Recalls 37.8M Kidde Extinguishers,” Payton Potter, Nov. 2, 2017
