Cigarette lighters packaged in souvenir sets with ashtrays, pencils or pens
CPSC Recall #01-128b — April 23, 2001
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 01-128b |
| Recall Date | April 23, 2001 |
| Remedy Type | Refund |
| Units Affected | About 65,000 |
| Manufactured In | China |
Where It Was Sold
| DFS stores in Hawaii |
| Guam |
| Saipan |
| San Francisco |
| Las Vegas |
| and Portland sold these souvenir sets from January 1996 through April 2001 for between $12 and $15. |
Product
Cigarette lighters packaged in souvenir sets with ashtrays, pencils or pens
Description
PRODUCT: DFS Group Ltd., of San Francisco, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 65,000 cigarette lighters packaged in souvenir sets with ashtrays, pencils or pens. The lighters being recalled are refillable, electronic ignition lighters and bear location names such as "Hawaii," "Guam," "Saipan," "Las Vegas," "USA" etc. The lighters have flip-up caps over the push-down ignition buttons. An orange label on the back of the lighters reads, "WARNING: KEEP LIGHTER OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN - THIS LIGHTER IS NOT CHILD RESISTANT." The packaging of these sets have labels that read, "MADE IN CHINA." DFS stores in Hawaii, Guam, Saipan, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Portland sold these souvenir sets from January 1996 through April 2001 for between $12 and $15.PROBLEM: The lighters do not have child-resistant mechanisms. Young children can easily ignite the lighters, presenting fire and burn hazards.INCIDENTS/INJURIES: None reported.WHAT TO DO: Consumers should stop using these lighters immediately and return them to the DFS store where purchased for a refund. For more information, consumers should call DFS at (800) 225-2777 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday. U.S. Customs alerted CPSC to this product hazard.Media Contact for DFS: Jim Fingeroth or Michael Freitag at (212) 521-4800.
Hazard
The lighters do not have child-resistant mechanisms. Young children can easily ignite the lighters, presenting fire and burn hazards.
Incidents & Injuries
None reported.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should stop using these lighters immediately and return them to the DFS store where purchased for a 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.
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.