Topline
Over 1 million Good Earth Lighting rechargeable lights sold at major retailers have been recalled due to fire hazards after the lights caused one death, another injury and at least six reports of fires and property damage.
Key Facts
The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall Thursday of more than 1.2 million rechargeable lights sold in the U.S., and 37,800 sold in Canada made by the manufacturer Good Earth Lighting Inc.
This comes after a report of a consumer dying—though no details were shared—and another suffering from smoke inhalation after a light caught on fire, and nine other reports of lights overheating, including six that resulted in fires and property damage.
The CPSC is warning the lights’ (which were manufactured in China and Cambodia) lithium-ion batteries may “overheat and ignite the light’s plastic housing, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers.”
The rechargeable lights were sold between October 2017 and January 2024 at various in-store and online retailers, including Lowe’s, Ace Hardware, Amazon, QVC, Meijers and Menards, with the model numbers RE1122, RE1145, RE1362 and RE1250.
Consumers are being advised to immediately stop using the lights, and Good Earth Lighting will send replacement lights of equal or greater value.
Key Background
Because lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable, Good Earth Lighting chose to use them in its lights as an alternative to permanently wired fixtures within homes, according to the recall notice. The batteries are used in several different types of products, like vapes, toothbrushes, scooters, hoverboards, cellphones, tablets, laptops and e-bikes. However, the batteries can be dangerous because they have a risk of overheating and catching on fire. This possibility increases if they’re improperly stored, damaged, charged or used, according to the National Fire Protection Agency. This is because the batteries store a lot of energy in a small space, so when the energy is uncontrollably released, heat is generated. This heat can turn some internal battery components into toxic and flammable gasses. Last summer, e-bikes powered by lithium-ion batteries caused a string of fires in the U.S. and London. London’s deputy fire commissioner warned the city had a 60% increase in e-bike fires in 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. At least eight Massachusetts fires were caused by lithium-ion batteries in June 2023. Some four people were killed and two others were critically injured after an overheated lithium-ion battery caused a fire to break out in a New York City bike shop last June. Lithium-ion batteries are the leading cause of fire deaths in New York City, and they caused 270 fires there in 2023, leading to 150 injuries and 18 deaths.
Tangent
The Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday it’d be investigating whether a recent cucumber recall is responsible for a nationwide salmonella outbreak. The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they’ve received 162 reports of salmonella poisonings in 25 states and the District of Columbia, including 54 hospitalizations. No deaths have been reported so far. The agencies interviewed 65 sickened people, and 47 reported eating cucumbers. The cucumbers were sold by Fresh Start Produce in 14 states. The cucumbers were shipped to grocery stores between May 17 and May 21, and although Fresh Start Produce said it’s “unlikely” its products are still on the shelves, it cautioned customers to check with local retailers to verify whether affected cucumbers had been sold.
4 Killed In Latest NYC E-Bike Fire As Officials Warn About Dangerous Batteries (Forbes)
FDA Investigating Possible Link Between Recalled Cucumbers And Salmonella Outbreak—Here’s What To Know (Forbes)
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