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Bamboo-Stick Sparklers

CPSC Recall #03-060 - December 22, 2002

Recall Summary

Recall Number03-060
Recall DateDecember 22, 2002
Remedy TypeRefund
Units AffectedAbout 1.7 million boxes
Manufactured InChina

Where It Was Sold

Variety Stores sold these sparklers nationwide from January 2002 through May 2002 for between $2 and $5 a box.

Product

Bamboo-Stick Sparklers

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Elkton Sparkler Company Inc., of North East, Md., is voluntarily recalling about 1.7 million boxes of bamboo stick sparklers. The sparklers' bamboo-stick handles can catch fire, burn and disintegrate and emit burning fragments during use. The sparklers present a fire hazard and a risk of burn injury.CPSC and Elkton Sparkler have received four reports of burns and clothing igniting. Injuries include a 6-year-old girl who received second-degree burns to her ankle and a 3-year-old boy who received a minor burn to his leg when his sweat pants caught on fire.The recalled sparklers were packaged in a red, white and blue cardboard box and sold with six sparklers per box. Three models of sparklers were sold, including model SP08 measuring 8-inches long, model SP14 measuring 14-inches long, and model SP20 measuring 20-inches long. Labels on the packaging read in part "BAMBOO GOLD SPARKLERS," "6 PIECES," and "MADE IN CHINA."Variety Stores sold these sparklers nationwide from January 2002 through May 2002 for between $2 and $5 a box.Consumers should stop using these sparklers immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a full refund. For more information, consumers can contact Elkton Sparklers at (800) 322-3458 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm's web site at www.easylite.com.

Hazard

The sparklers' bamboo-stick handles can catch fire, burn and disintegrate and emit burning fragments during use. The sparklers present a fire hazard and a risk of burn injury.

Incidents & Injuries

CPSC and Elkton Sparkler have received four reports of burns and clothing igniting. Injuries include a 6-year-old girl who received second-degree burns to her ankle and a 3-year-old boy who received a minor burn to his leg when his sweatpants caught on fire.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should stop using these sparklers immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a full refund. 

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Refund at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly, either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Refund) at no cost to you.

If the product caused a fire or burn injury, document the incident with photos and preserve the product if it is safe to do so. Report the incident to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov and to your local fire department. Contact the manufacturer to inform them of the incident, they are required to track and report injuries to CPSC. You may also want to consult a personal injury attorney, as fire and burn injuries caused by defective products can be grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.

In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.

If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney, parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.

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