Novelty lighters in shape of Gun, Car, Radio, Animals, and Telephones
CPSC Recall #99-119b — June 2, 1999
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 99-119b |
| Recall Date | June 2, 1999 |
| Remedy Type | Refund |
| Units Affected | About 40,000 |
| Manufactured In | China |
Where It Was Sold
| Small retail stores in Louisiana |
| Massachusetts |
| Minnesota |
| Nevada |
| Texas and Washington sold the lighters from October 1998 through March 1999 for about $1 to $3. A November 1998 C & H trade show in Louisiana also sold the lighters. |
Product
Novelty lighters in shape of Gun, Car, Radio, Animals, and Telephones
Description
PRODUCT: Cigarette Lighters - C & H Trading, of Metairie, La., is voluntarily recalling about 40,000 disposable and novelty cigarette lighters. The recalled disposable lighters are metal with a rubber coating, which is red, blue, silver, chrome or black in color. The recalled novelty lighters are shaped as cars, grenades, elephants, alligators, motorcycles, guns or telephones. The cars are metal and plastic and are red or green in color. The telephones are plastic and are black in color. The other novelty lighters are bronze-colored metal. The lighters were made in China. There is no labeling on the lighters. Small retail stores in Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, Texas and Washington sold the lighters from October 1998 through March 1999 for about $1 to $3. A November 1998 C & H trade show in Louisiana also sold the lighters. PROBLEM: The lighters do not have any child-resistant mechanisms, as required by federal law. Young children could ignite the lighters, presenting fire and burn hazards. INCIDENTS/INJURIES: None reported. WHAT TO DO: Consumers should stop using these lighters immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a full refund. Consumers who bought the lighters at the trade show can obtain a refund directly through the company. For instructions on returning the lighters to the company for the refund or for more information, consumers should call C & H Trading collect at (504) 456-9251 between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday.
Hazard
The lighters do not have any child-resistant mechanisms, as required by federal law. Young children could ignite the lighters, presenting fire and burn hazards.
Incidents & Injuries
None reported.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should stop using these lighters immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a full refund. Consumers who bought the lighters at the trade show can obtain a refund directly through the company.
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.