Decorative Fireplace Units

CPSC Recall #73-039 - November 10, 1973

Recall Summary

Recall Number73-039
Recall DateNovember 10, 1973
Remedy TypeRepair
Units Affected1,600
ManufacturerDyna Manufacturing Company, Inc., Lynwood, California.

Where It Was Sold

Some 40 retail companies
including Sears
Roebuck and Company
Montgomery Ward
and the J.C. Penny Company.

Product

Decorative Fireplace Units

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Nov. 10)--The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today warned owners of some 1,600 "Electric Heater Log" decorative fireplaces to immediately unplug the units to avoid a possible fire hazard. The decorative fireplaces are made by the Dyna Manufacturing Company, Inc., Lynwood, California, and are sold by some 40 retail companies, including Sears, Roebuck and Company, Montgomery Ward, and the J.C. Penny Company. CPSC Chairman Richard 0. Simpson said the problem was reported to the Commission late Friday by Dyna Manufacturing. "They are cooperating fully with the Commission," Simpson said. "The company has notified most of its distributors and retail outlets to halt sales of the fireplaces, which were manufactured between July and October of this year." Consumers should contact the retailer from whom they purchased the fireplace for free repair. Of the 1,600 units believed to be in homes, Simpson said the company reported that most have been sold in the midwest. The units contain an electric heater and run on 220 volts. All of the fireplaces carry the model number 48 on a foil paper sticker on the rear of the heater. There have been no reported injuries to date.

Hazard

Possible fire hazard

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should contact the retailer from whom they purchased the fireplace for free repair.

What Should You Do?

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