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Holmes "Wide-Angle" portable heaters

CPSC Recall #00-009 - October 20, 1999

Recall Summary

Recall Number00-009
Recall DateOctober 20, 1999
Remedy TypeRefund
Units AffectedAbout 45,000
Manufactured InChina

Where It Was Sold

Mass merchandise stores
such as Kmart and Target
sold these heaters from September 1998 through July 1999 for about $27.

Product

Holmes "Wide-Angle" portable heaters

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Holmes Products Corp., of Milford, Mass., is recalling about 45,000 heaters. The thermostats in some of these heaters are improperly positioned, which can cause them to overheat, posing a fire hazard. Holmes Products has received 11 reports of these units overheating and catching fire. Six of these incidents resulted in minor property damage. No injuries have been reported. These "Wide-Angle," portable heaters, manufactured in 1998, are approximately 12 inches high, and are in the shape of a half-circle. The front is white, and the back is gray. The units have two knobs on the top. The date code, which includes the number 98, is located on the back, right-hand corner of the units just above the box containing the Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) logo. Other writing inside the UL box includes, "MODEL: HFH-297" and "MADE IN CHINA." "Holmes(r)" also is written in the UL box and on the front of the unit. Mass merchandise stores, such as Kmart and Target, sold these heaters from September 1998 through July 1999 for about $27. Consumers should immediately stop using these heaters, and contact Holmes for information on how to receive a refund. For more information, call Holmes at (800) 5HOLMES. Consumers also can access Holmes' web site at www.holmesproducts.com.

Hazard

The thermostats in some of these heaters are improperly positioned, which can cause them to overheat, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents & Injuries

Holmes Products has received 11 reports of these units overheating and catching fire. Six of these incidents resulted in minor property damage. No injuries have been reported.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should immediately stop using these heaters, and contact Holmes for information on how to receive 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.

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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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