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Tea Lights

CPSC Recall #03-052 - December 10, 2002

Recall Summary

Recall Number03-052
Recall DateDecember 10, 2002
Remedy TypeRefund
Units AffectedAbout 211,000 sets
ImporterHong Kong

Where It Was Sold

Home Interiors' direct sales associates exclusively sold the recalled tea lights from September 2002 through November 2002 for about $5 per box.

Product

Tea Lights

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Home Interiors and Gifts Inc., of Carrollton, Texas, is voluntarily recalling about 211,000 sets of tea lights. Flames from the tea lights can flare, and the excessive heat can cause the plastic holders to melt, posing a fire hazard. Home Interiors and Gifts has received 22 reports of the tea lights flaring up and melting their plastic holders. These incidents have resulted in minor property damage. No injuries have been reported. The recalled tea lights are packaged 12 candles per box with "Home Interiors" written on the top of the box. Each tea light candle has a clear plastic base and is either red or ivory in color. The tea light candles are imported from Hong Kong. Home Interiors' direct sales associates exclusively sold the recalled tea lights from September 2002 through November 2002 for about $5 per box. Consumers should stop using the tea lights immediately and return any unused tea lights by mail to Home Interiors at 2901 Trade Center Drive, Suite 100, Carrollton, TX 75007. Consumers should include their return address information to receive a retail gift certificate from Home Interiors for the full purchase cost and shipping cost of the tea lights. For more information, consumers can contact Home Interiors at (972) 695-1085 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday.

Hazard

Flames from the tea lights can flare, and the excessive heat can cause the plastic holders to melt, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents & Injuries

Home Interiors and Gifts has received 22 reports of the tea lights flaring up and melting their plastic holders. These incidents have resulted in minor property damage. No injuries have been reported.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should stop using the tea lights immediately and return any unused tea lights by mail to Home Interiors at 2901 Trade Center Drive, Suite 100, Carrollton, TX 75007. Consumers should include their return address information to receive a retail gift certificate from Home Interiors for the full purchase cost and shipping cost of the tea lights.

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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