An recall order has been issues by US and Canadian authorities for a solar-powered patio umbrellas that were only available for purchase at Costco following incidents of them catching on fire.
Apparently, the umbrellas, which were sold at Costco Canada, have been known to catch on fire after the battery unit that powers the LED lights overheats.
This recall impacts over 33,000 umbrellas that were sold by Costco Canada in addition to about 400,000 sold in the US, according to the CPSC. The CPSC, Health Canada, SunVilla, and Costco all jointly recalled the product.
Health Canada advised consumers to stop using the umbrella right away and send them back to Costco for a full refund.
“Customers should stop using the umbrellas and remove the solar panel puck (the piece that contains the lithium-ion battery), store it out of the sun and away from combustible material, and not charge the puck with its AC adapter, The umbrellas can be returned to any Costco Warehouse for a full refund,” the CPSC states.
The umbrellas included LED lights on the interior of the arms and came in a variety of colors, as pictured on the government website.
The company SunVilla apparently had only heard of one incident of the umbrella catching on fire in Canada, however no injuries were reported. Another five reports of the battery overheating and catching on fire as well as one smoke inhalation incident occurred in the U.S.
“The lithium-ion batteries in the umbrella’s solar panels can overheat, posing fire and burn hazards,” the CPSC said.
The umbrellas were offered for sale in Costco warehouses between the dates of December 2020 to May 2022 with pricing ranging from $130 to $160, as reported by the CPSC.
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Sources: Westernjournal, Usatoday, Bgr
