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500-Watt Tubular Halogen Bulbs

CPSC Recall #97-038 - December 8, 1996

Recall Summary

Recall Number97-038
Recall DateDecember 8, 1996
Remedy TypeReplace
Units AffectedApproximately 100,000

Where It Was Sold

Montgomery Ward and Electric Ave. & More stores sold the lamps nationwide from October 1995 through April 1996 for about $20.

Product

500-Watt Tubular Halogen Bulbs

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Tensor Corporation of Chelsea, Mass., is voluntarily recalling approximately 100,000 500-watt tubular halogen bulbs sold in 50,000 torchiere-style lamps. The bulbs may shatter during use, presenting a fire hazard when hot fragments of the shattered bulb land on nearby combustible materials, such as furniture, bedding, newspaper or carpet. Tensor is aware of 281 incidents of bulbs shattering resulting in at least six burn injuries and some small fires. Three fires resulted in more than $25,000 in damage. The halogen torchiere floor lamps, measuring 71 inches tall, have a round base, a three part pole, and a shallow, bowl-shaped shade. A small round switch located on the lamp's pole enables consumers to adjust the bulb's brightness. The model number "LT609N" or "LT609P" and a manufacturing plant code appear on stickers on the bottom of the lamp base. Montgomery Ward and Electric Ave. & More stores sold the lamps nationwide from October 1995 through April 1996 for about $20. Each lamp was packaged with one installed bulb and some were sold with a second replacement bulb. The affected bulbs were manufactured in China. Tensor lamps sold before October 1995 are not included in this bulb recall, and lamps sold after April 1996 contain the 300-watt replacement bulbs. Consumers should immediately discard the affected 500-watt bulbs. Consumers should retrieve the date of purchase, the model number, and manufacturing code from the bottom of the lamp base, then call Tensor's Customer Service toll-free number at (888) 564-4424. After verifying that the caller's lamp contains an affected bulb, Tensor will provide a free 300-watt tubular halogen replacement bulb for each 500-watt bulb included with the lamp. Earlier this year, Tensor and Montgomery Ward initiated a replacement program for 500-watt bulbs in response to the withdrawal of Underwriters Laboratories' (UL) listing of torchiere floor lamps equipped with 500-watt bulbs because of their flammability potential. Thousands of consumers have already received their free 300-watt replacement bulb. No further action is needed by consumers who participated in this earlier replacement program. While Tensor is replacing 500-watt bulbs with 300-watt bulbs, CPSC warns that most halogen torchiere lamp bulbs, which burn at very high temperatures, can start a fire if they come in contact with curtains, clothes, or other flammable material. Although replacing 500-watt bulbs with 300-watt bulbs will decrease the chance of the bulbs shattering, consumers should still keep the 300-watt bulbs away from combustibles in order to avoid fires.

Hazard

The bulbs may shatter during use, presenting a fire hazard when hot fragments of the shattered bulb land on nearby combustible materials, such as furniture, bedding, newspaper or carpet.

Incidents & Injuries

Tensor is aware of 281 incidents of bulbs shattering resulting in at least six burn injuries and some small fires. Three fires resulted in more than $25,000 in damage.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should immediately discard the affected 500-watt bulbs. Consumers should retrieve the date of purchase, the model number, and manufacturing code from the bottom of the lamp base, then call Tensor's Customer Service toll-free number at (888) 564-4424. After verifying that the caller's lamp contains an affected bulb, Tensor will provide a free 300-watt tubular halogen replacement bulb for each 500-watt bulb included with the lamp.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Replace 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 (Replace) 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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