Propane gas
CPSC Recall #01-061 - December 21, 2000
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 01-061 |
| Recall Date | December 21, 2000 |
| Remedy Type | Label |
| Manufacturer | Cenex Harvest States Cooperatives (CHS) of Inver Grove Heights, Minn. |
Product
Propane gas
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Cenex Harvest States Cooperatives (CHS) of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., is voluntarily coordinating the testing of propane gas delivered to dealers in five states. The propane may not have contained enough odorant to allow consumers to smell leaking gas, presenting a fire, explosion or thermal burn hazard to consumers. CHS learned of two explosions involving propane gas in Montana that resulted in four injuries. CHS is coordinating the testing of propane gas distributed to the following dealers to ensure that the propane produced at the CHS Refinery in Laurel, Montana contained adequate quantities of odorant. Idaho Bingham Co-op, Blackfoot CHS Propane Plant, Challis Farmers Supply Cooperative, Council CHS Propane Plant, Jerome Montana Farmers Union Oil, Baker Rocky Mountain Supply, Belgrade Farmers Union Oil, Chinook Columbus Propane, Columbus Mountain View Co-op, Dutton Farmers Union Oil, Great Falls Farmers Union Association, Hardin CHS Country Operations, Havre CHS Country Operations, Kalispsell Town and Country Co-op, Laurel Central Montana Propane, Lewistown Farmers Union Oil, Lodge Grass CHS Country Operations, Miles City CHS Country Operations, Missoula Farmers Union Oil, Worden Oregon CHS Propane Plant, John Day Washington Skagit Farmers Supply, Mt. Vernon WyomingJohnson County Co-op, Buffalo Farmers Cooperative, Gillette CHS Propane Plant, Gillette Farmers Co-op Oil, Sheridan Big Horn Co-op Association, Worland Consumers who had propane deliveries or purchased propane from these dealers since June 1, 2000, should immediately contact their propane gas suppliers or retail locations where portable cylinders were filled to arrange for testing of the propane. The amount of odorant in the propane can be corrected on-site if the levels are found to be too low to detect by smell. Consumers with questions should call Country Energy, LLC, an affiliate of CHS, 24 hours per day at (800) 635-3998. CHS is now working with CPSC to supplement CHS's announcement of this testing made earlier this month, to help further disseminate this information to consumers who may have purchased this product.
Hazard
The propane may not have contained enough odorant to allow consumers to smell leaking gas, presenting a fire, explosion or thermal burn hazard to consumers.
Incidents & Injuries
CHS learned of two explosions involving propane gas in Montana that resulted in four injuries.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers who had propane deliveries or purchased propane from these dealers since June 1, 2000, should immediately contact their propane gas suppliers or retail locations where portable cylinders were filled to arrange for testing of the propane. The amount of odorant in the propane can be corrected on-site if the levels are found to be too low to detect by smell.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Label 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 (Label) 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.