When a Pittsburgh resident purchases a new item at the store they expect that it will work the way it is intended to perform once they have gotten it out of its packaging and completed any set up processes that are necessary for its functioning. It is usually apparent quite quickly if a product is good or if it suffers from a problem. Unfortunately, some consumer products may possess defects that are not discoverable until their use is required in serious circumstances.
For example, a host of Americans have been put in very dangerous situations when the fire extinguishers they purchased to protect themselves and their homes from fire failed to work. The manufacturer of the fire extinguishers, Kidde, is now in the process of recalling nearly 40 million fire extinguishers, some of which were sold as early as 1973. Around 400 individuals have been subjected to malfunctions with their fire extinguishers and those problems have resulted in 16 individuals suffering personal injuries and one victim losing their life.
The fire extinguishers may possess two problems. The first is that the device may simply not work if a person attempts to use it to put out a fire. The second issue concerns the potential for part of the device’s nozzle to fall off and cause harm to users.
The failure of a fire extinguisher could turn a dangerous situation into a deadly inferno. As individuals work through the recall process to have their devices replaced, victims may begin weighing their options to seek compensation for the injuries and losses they suffered when their fire extinguishers failed to work due to products liability defects.
Source: komonews.com, “Millions of potentially defective fire extinguishers recalled,” Herb Weisbaum, Nov. 6, 2017