Halloween Hand

CPSC Recall #97-017 - October 29, 1996

Recall Summary

Recall Number97-017
Recall DateOctober 29, 1996
Remedy TypeRefund
Units Affected47,100

Where It Was Sold

Small gift and specialty stores and drug stores in New Jersey
New York
and Connecticut and the discount store Caldor sold the Bleeding Hand Candle during Halloween of 1995 and 1996 for about $4. Caldor is cooperating with CPSC and C.R. Seasons in this recall.

Product

Halloween Hand

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), C.R. Seasons LTD. of Farmingdale, N.Y., is recalling about 47,100 hand-shaped, five wick Bleeding Hand Halloween candles. The hand-shaped wax candles generate high flames that may present a fire hazard. The Bleeding Hand wax candle is hand shaped with five fingers each having individual wicks. The candle flames may reach 8 inches high as the candles melt down to the palm with the wicks of the five fingers burning together. C.R. Seasons has received no reports of excess flames or injuries associated with the Bleeding Hand Halloween candles. This recall is being conducted to prevent injuries and fires. The hand-shaped Bleeding Hand wax candle is sold in two colors: pink skin-toned with a red band around the bottom of the wrist; and dark green with a red band around the bottom of the wrist. The 7-inch high candle came in a plastic and purple cardboard package labeled with the names "Bleeding Hand Candle" and "C.R. Seasons LTD" on the front and back of the packaging. Small gift and specialty stores and drug stores in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut and the discount store Caldor sold the Bleeding Hand Candle during Halloween of 1995 and 1996 for about $4. Caldor is cooperating with CPSC and C.R. Seasons in this recall. Consumers should immediately stop using the hand-shaped Bleeding Hand candle and return them to the place of purchase for a refund of the purchase price. For more information consumers should call C.R. Seasons LTD at (800) 425-9889.

Hazard

The hand-shaped wax candles generate high flames that may present a fire hazard.

Incidents & Injuries

The candle flames may reach 8 inches high as the candles melt down to the palm with the wicks of the five fingers burning together. C.R. Seasons has received no reports of excess flames or injuries associated with the Bleeding Hand Halloween candles. This recall is being conducted to prevent injuries and fires.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should immediately stop using the hand-shaped Bleeding Hand candle and return them to the place of purchase for a refund of the purchase price.

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.