Red Devil Gas Grills
CPSC Recall #03-006 — October 7, 2002
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 03-006 |
| Recall Date | October 7, 2002 |
| Remedy Type | No Remedy Available |
| Units Affected | About 10,800 |
| Manufacturer | e4L Inc., of Encino, Calif., and, Quantum North America Inc., of Encino, Calif. |
| Manufactured In | United States |
Where It Was Sold
| Value City and Schottenstein stores |
Product
Red Devil Gas Grills
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C.- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Value City Department Stores Inc./Schottenstein Stores, of Columbus, Ohio, is recalling about 10,800 Red Devil gas grills sold at Value City and Schottenstein stores. The product's design allows consumers to light the grill at an air intake tube, instead of at the burner. Though the grill appears to function normally, gas inside the air intake tube ignites. The tube can reach temperatures of up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit and present a burn hazard to consumers. In grills manufactured before August 1998, the heat produced by lighting the grill at the air intake tube damaged the plastic support piece, and caused the grill to fall to the ground. When it collapses, flames from the grill can burn nearby consumers and ignite surrounding combustibles. There have been 44 reports of consumers suffering burns to legs, hands and fingers, including reports of some third degree burns, after the grills collapsed during use. More than 1,000 consumers returned their grills to the manufacturers because the grills collapsed. There has been one incident reported by Value City and Schottenstein Stores customers. These red metal gas grills have a tripod stand. They have a logo on the label of the lid and grill base showing a devil cooking at a grill with the writing, "Red Devil." The lid also reads "The Portable Outdoor Kitchen." Components sold with the grill include a heat plate, an oversized skillet with handles, a table-safe serving trivet, and carrying totes. Value City and Schottenstein stores sold these grills from about April 2000 through July 2002 for about $60. CPSC urges consumers to stop using these grills immediately. Consumers who purchased Red Devil gas grills from Value City or Schottenstein stores can return it to the store for a store credit. For more information, consumers can call Value City Customer Service at (888) 278-6370 anytime, or visit the firm's web site at www.valuecity.com (note added 01/18/2005 - recall information is no longer on the firm's web site). About 155,000 of these grills were manufactured by e4L Inc., of Encino, Calif., and, Quantum North America Inc., of Encino, Calif. Because the manufacturer is out of business, CPSC issued a warning about these grills in May 2002. Additional Red Devil gas grills were manufactured by Cadac, of Roodepoort, South Africa, but also are included in the recall. CPSC sued e4L Inc. and Quantum North America Inc. to obtain a recall, and an administrative law judge granted CPSC a default judgment when these manufacturers failed to appear. The firms are liquidating their assets under bankruptcy law. The Home Shopping Network (HSN), QVC, and Wal-Mart previously notified their customers about the hazard these grills pose, and provided a remedy. Since Quantum and e4L have declared bankruptcy, there is no remedy available for grills bought from retailers other than HSN, QVC, Wal-Mart, Value City and Schottenstein stores. Consumers who purchased their Red Devil Gas Grills from another retailer, should contact the retailer. If that retailer does not provide a refund, repair or replacement for the grill, consumers should contact CPSC at (800) 638-2772 anytime. Additionally, consumers who are aware of any incidents with these grills or who want additional information also should contact CPSC. About 19,300 of these grills, sold directly by e4L, were recalled in July 1998 because the burners could disconnect from the burner pan. The firm received 21 reports of the burners on these grills disconnecting and one consumer suffered burns. Even if consumers participated in this previous recall program, they should stop using these grills since this warning addresses a different hazard.
Hazard
The product's design allows consumers to light the grill at an air intake tube, instead of at the burner. Though the grill appears to function normally, gas inside the air intake tube ignites. The tube can reach temperatures of up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit and present a burn hazard to consumers.
Incidents & Injuries
There have been 44 reports of consumers suffering burns to legs, hands and fingers, including reports of some third degree burns, after the grills collapsed during use. More than 1,000 consumers returned their grills to the manufacturers because the grills collapsed. There has been one incident reported by Value City and Schottenstein Stores customers.
Remedy Instructions
The Home Shopping Network (HSN), QVC, and Wal-Mart previously notified their customers about the hazard these grills pose, and provided a remedy. Since Quantum and e4L have declared bankruptcy, there is no remedy available for grills bought from retailers other than HSN, QVC, Wal-Mart, Value City and Schottenstein stores.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a No Remedy Available 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 (No Remedy Available) 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.