Cigarette Lighters Recalled by DFS Group Ltd.

NEWS from CPSC

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Office of Information and Public Affairs

Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2001
Release # 01-128

Company Phone Number: (800) 225-2777
CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: Scott Wolfson or Ken Giles, (301) 504-7052 or 1189

Cigarette Lighters Recalled by DFS Group Ltd.

PRODUCT: DFS Group Ltd., of San Francisco, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 65,000 cigarette lighters packaged in souvenir sets with ashtrays, pencils or pens. The lighters being recalled are refillable, electronic ignition lighters and bear location names such as "Hawaii," "Guam," "Saipan," "Las Vegas," "USA" etc. The lighters have flip-up caps over the push-down ignition buttons. An orange label on the back of the lighters reads, "WARNING: KEEP LIGHTER OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN - THIS LIGHTER IS NOT CHILD RESISTANT." The packaging of these sets have labels that read, "MADE IN CHINA." DFS stores in Hawaii, Guam, Saipan, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Portland sold these souvenir sets from January 1996 through April 2001 for between $12 and $15.

PROBLEM: The lighters do not have child-resistant mechanisms. Young children can easily ignite the lighters, presenting fire and burn hazards.

INCIDENTS/INJURIES: None reported.

WHAT TO DO: Consumers should stop using these lighters immediately and return them to the DFS store where purchased for a refund. For more information, consumers should call DFS at (800) 225-2777 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday. U.S. Customs alerted CPSC to this product hazard.

Media Contact for DFS: Jim Fingeroth or Michael Freitag at (212) 521-4800.