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Halloween Hand Candle

CPSC Recall #97-011 - October 28, 1996

Recall Summary

Recall Number97-011
Recall DateOctober 28, 1996
Remedy TypeRefund
Units AffectedAbout 67,600

Where It Was Sold

Speciality gift stores
drug stores
and some grocery stores sold the candles nationwide (the Glowing Gore wax candle from March 1994 to October 1996 and the Dem Bones candles beginning March 1996) for about $6.

Product

Halloween Hand Candle

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Russ Berrie and Company Inc. of Oakland, N.J., is recalling about 67,600 hand- shaped, five wick Glowing Gore Halloween candles and about 17,600 hand-shaped, five wick Dem Bones Halloween candles. The hand-shaped wax candles generate high flames that may present a fire hazard. The Dem Bones and Glowing Gore wax candles are hand shaped with five fingers each having individual wicks. The candle flames may reach 10 inches high as the candles melt down to the palm with the wicks of the five fingers burning together Russ Berrie and Company has received no reports of excess flames or injuries associated with the Glowing Gore and Dem Bones Halloween candles. This recall is being conducted to prevent injuries and fires. The hand-shaped Glowing Gore wax candle is skin-toned and red colored with candle wicks in each finger. The Dem Bones wax candle is pale green and dark green colored with candle wicks in each finger. Both candles are 7.5 inches high with labels on the plastic wrapping under the hand reading either, "DEM BONES ...DRIPPING OOZE CANDLE," or "GLOWING GORE ...DRIPPING BLOOD CANDLE. Speciality gift stores, drug stores, and some grocery stores sold the candles nationwide (the Glowing Gore wax candle from March 1994 to October 1996 and the Dem Bones candles beginning March 1996) for about $6. Consumers should immediately stop using the hand shaped Glowing Gore and Dem Bones five wick wax candles and return them to the place of purchase for a refund of the purchase price. For more information consumers should call Russ Berrie and Company Inc. at (800) 272-7877.

Hazard

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

Incidents & Injuries

The candle flames may reach 10 inches high as the candles melt down to the palm with the wicks of the five fingers burning together Russ Berrie and Company has received no reports of excess flames or injuries associated with the Glowing Gore and Dem Bones Halloween candles. This recall is being conducted to prevent injuries and fires.

Remedy Instructions

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

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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