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Children's vampire capes and witch brooms

CPSC Recall #99-013 - October 27, 1998

Recall Summary

Recall Number99-013
Recall DateOctober 27, 1998
Remedy TypeRefund
Units AffectedAbout 6,000 capes and 6,000 brooms
ManufacturerRubie's Costume Co. Inc., of Richmond Hill, N.Y.
Manufactured InChina

Where It Was Sold

Toy
party
costume
discount and drug stores nationwide sold the capes and brooms for about $2 each from September 1997 to October 1998.

Product

Children's vampire capes and witch brooms

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Rubie's Costume Co. Inc., of Richmond Hill, N.Y., is recalling about 6,000 children's vampire capes and about 6,000 children's witch brooms. The capes and the brooms, which fail to meet federal mandatory standards for flammability, could ignite readily and present a serious risk of burn injuries to children. CPSC and Rubie's Costume Co. Inc. are not aware of any injuries involving these capes or brooms. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injury. The vampire capes are made of black vinyl. The edges of the cape are scalloped. The capes are packaged in a plastic sleeve with a cardboard insert, which reads in part, "Child's Vinyl Vampire Cape...No. 50282...Made in China." The Rubies logo and a picture of a boy wearing the cape are also on the insert. The witch brooms are 27 inches long with a bamboo handle and brush made of twigs. The brooms were sold with a sticker around the handle, which reads in part, "Child's Authentic Witch Broom...Style No. 85." The Rubies logo is also on the sticker. Toy, party, costume, discount and drug stores nationwide sold the capes and brooms for about $2 each from September 1997 to October 1998. Consumers should not let their children wear the vampire capes or use the 27-inch witch brooms this Halloween. Consumers should return the products to the stores where purchased for a refund. For questions about this recall, consumers should call Rubies Costume Co. Inc. collect at (516) 488-0484 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday.

Hazard

The capes and the brooms, which fail to meet federal mandatory standards for flammability, could ignite readily and present a serious risk of burn injuries to children.

Incidents & Injuries

CPSC and Rubie's Costume Co. Inc. are not aware of any injuries involving these capes or brooms.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should not let their children wear the vampire capes or use the 27-inch witch brooms this Halloween. Consumers should return the products to the stores where purchased for 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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