More Than 400,000 Solar-Powered Umbrellas Recalled Over Fire Risk

The authorities have recalled greater than 400,000 solar-powered umbrellas bought at Costco due to overheating and hearth dangers.

The U.S. Shopper Product Security Fee, which issued the recall on Thursday for the 10-foot SunVilla Photo voltaic LED Market Umbrella, stated shoppers reported that lithium-ion batteries within the umbrella’s photo voltaic panel can overheat, posing hearth and burn hazards.

The umbrella, which was bought in a wide range of colours, has LED lights alongside its arms and a black photo voltaic panel battery puck on the prime with a canopy that claims “YEEZE” or “YEEZE 1.” Prospects ought to take away this puck and retailer it away from the solar or flamable materials, the fee stated. Customers mustn’t cost it with an AC adapter.

Prospects flagged six circumstances during which the lithium-ion batteries overheated, the fee stated. Three of those circumstances included cases during which the photo voltaic panels caught hearth; two during which the umbrella caught hearth; and a smoke inhalation harm.

The fee suggested shoppers to instantly cease utilizing the umbrella and stated house owners may return it at any Costco or contact the corporate for a refund.

Costco and SunVilla, the maker of the umbrellas, are contacting identified purchasers, the fee stated. Neither firm might be instantly reached for touch upon Sunday.

The Canadian authorities additionally issued a recall of almost 33,000 of the umbrellas. The product was bought from January 2021 by means of Might 2022, in keeping with the Canadian authorities’s client recall, whereas the U.S. Shopper Product Security Fee stated the product was out there on-line and at Costco warehouses, promoting for $130 to $160, from December 2020 by means of Might 2022.

Lithium batteries have been linked to fires in different merchandise, resulting in will increase in deaths and accidents, the New York Fireplace Division has stated on Fb. As of late final 12 months, fires attributable to lithium-ion batteries that the division responded to elevated to 93, from 44 in 2020, and 4 deaths have been attributed to lithium-ion battery fires, up from zero in 2020, the division stated.

In April, 4 separate fires inside 24 hours have been attributable to these batteries in electrical scooters and bikes, inflicting 12 accidents, the division stated.

“If utilizing a lithium battery, observe the producer’s directions for charging and storage,” the division stated. “All the time use the producer’s wire and energy adapter made particularly for the system. If a battery overheats, discontinue use instantly.”

In Vancouver, Canada, lithium-ion battery fires grew to become the highest trigger of fireplace deaths in 2022, with 5 deaths reported as of June 13, the authorities said.