Vehicle Safety
Recalls Search 320,000+ NHTSA safety recalls Complaints 2.1M+ consumer safety complaints TSBs 4.7M technical service bulletins VIN Lookup Decode any vehicle VIN instantly OBD Codes 12,000+ diagnostic trouble codes Fuel Economy EPA MPG data for all vehicles Safety Ratings 11,700+ NHTSA crash test ratings Investigations 5,300+ NHTSA defect investigations Statistics Recall trends & safety analysis
Consumer Safety
Product Safety 9,700+ CPSC product recalls Food Safety 28,600+ FDA food recalls Pet Safety 1.3M FDA animal adverse events Drug Safety 17,500+ FDA drug recalls Device Safety 38,400+ FDA device recalls Workplace Safety 102,900+ OSHA injury reports Brand History Cross-category recall lookup by company
Infrastructure
Bridge Safety 624,000 bridge inspections Aviation Safety 30,000+ NTSB aviation events Dam Safety 92,600 dam safety records Water Safety 433,000+ public water systems Railroad Safety 438,000+ rail crossings Pipeline Safety 8,800+ pipeline incidents State Safety Dashboards Safety grades for all 50 U.S. states ZIP Safety Report Check any 5-digit ZIP across 9 datasets
Public Health
Nursing Homes 14,700 CMS rated facilities Environmental 80,000+ hazardous sites & releases
Blog

Vehicle Safety

Vehicle Recalls320,000+ NHTSA safety recalls Browse VehiclesEvery make, model and year Complaints2.1M+ consumer safety complaints TSBs4.7M technical service bulletins VIN LookupDecode any vehicle VIN instantly OBD Codes12,000+ diagnostic trouble codes Fuel EconomyEPA MPG data for all vehicles Safety Ratings11,700+ NHTSA crash test ratings Investigations5,300+ NHTSA defect investigations StatisticsRecall trends & safety analysis Compare VehiclesTwo vehicles side by side

Consumer Safety

Product Safety9,700+ CPSC product recalls Food Safety28,600+ FDA food recalls Pet Safety1.3M FDA animal adverse events Drug Safety17,500+ FDA drug recalls Device Safety38,400+ FDA device recalls Workplace Safety102,900+ OSHA injury reports Brand HistoryRecall lookup by company

Infrastructure

Bridge Safety624,000 bridge inspections Aviation Safety30,000+ NTSB aviation events Dam Safety92,600 dam safety records Water Safety433,000+ public water systems Railroad Safety438,000+ rail crossings Pipeline Safety8,800+ pipeline incidents State DashboardsSafety grades for all 50 states ZIP ReportAny 5-digit ZIP across 9 datasets

Public Health

Nursing Homes14,700 CMS rated facilities Environmental80,000+ hazardous sites & releases BlogGuides, news & safety insights

EKCO utility lighters

CPSC Recall #99-148 — July 25, 1999

Recall Summary

Recall Number99-148
Recall DateJuly 25, 1999
Remedy TypeRefund
Units AffectedAbout 333,000
Manufactured InChina

Product

EKCO utility lighters

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), EKCO Housewares Inc., of Franklin Park, Ill., is recalling about 333,000 utility lighters. These lighters can ignite in the trigger area when the trigger is pulled, creating a risk of fire and burn hazards to consumers. EKCO Housewares, Inc. received four reports of these lighters flaring up during use, causing minor burns to consumers' hands and arms. The recalled utility lighters are refillable and contain butane. They are about 9 inches long and have a white plastic base, red plastic handle with a black plastic trigger and on/off switch, and a metal barrel. "GAS TORCH" is imprinted on the barrel. A yellow label is affixed to the handle and reads in part, "DANGER: EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE CONTENTS UNDER PRESSURE...MADE IN CHINA." The lighters were packaged in cardboard display sleeves under the brand name EKCO. The package lists either item number 58046 or 15387. Mass merchandise, hardware and grocery stores sold the lighters nationwide from January 1997 through June 1999 for about $3. Consumers should stop using the recalled lighters immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. Alternatively, consumers can obtain a refund, plus postage, by mailing either the package card or white plastic base of the lighter to EKCO Housewares at 9234 West Belmont Ave., Franklin Park, IL 60131, Attention: Customer Service Department. Consumers should throw the body of the lighter in the trash. It should not be incinerated or punctured. For more information about this recall, consumers should call EKCO Housewares at (800) 964-9687 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. CDT Monday through Friday.

Hazard

These lighters can ignite in the trigger area when the trigger is pulled, creating a risk of fire and burn hazards to consumers.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should stop using the recalled lighters immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. Alternatively, consumers can obtain a refund, plus postage, by mailing either the package card or white plastic base of the lighter to EKCO Housewares at 9234 West Belmont Ave., Franklin Park, IL 60131, Attention: Customer Service Department.

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.

Browse All Product Recalls Recalls by Manufacturer Recalls by Retailer Browse by Hazard Type

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.

Back to All Product Recalls