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CPSC, Gladstrong Investments USA Announce Recall of Disposable Lighters4-Year-Old Girl Died in Fire After Playing with Firm's Lighter

  • Recalled disposable lighters
Name of Product:
Gladstrong disposable lighters
Hazard:

The lighters' child-resistant mechanisms are frequently ineffective. Young children are able to operate the lighters, posing a fire hazard.

Remedy:
Refund
Recall Date:
April 17, 2001
Units:

About 13 million

Consumer Contact

For more information, call Gladstrong at (877) 666-0664 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday.

Recall Details

Description:

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Gladstrong Investments USA, of Hacienda Heights, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 13 million disposable lighters. The lighters' child-resistant mechanisms are frequently ineffective. Young children are able to operate the lighters, posing a fire hazard.

CPSC and Gladstrong Investments have received a report of a 4-year-old girl who died after starting a fire with a Gladstrong Investments lighter and then hid in a closet. The fire caused an estimated $72,000 in damages. In another incident, two brothers, a 4-year-old and a 6-year-old, reportedly ignited clothing and paper inside a car while playing with one of these lighters causing about $1,500 in damages. They were not injured.

The recalled lighters have their brand name, "BODA-BING," "GIL," "HAPPY," or "WAX" stamped on both sides of their metal tops. The UPC bar code on the lighters' labels is "0-80692-99930-1," "0-295114-0" or starts with "7-55998." Writing on these lighters includes "MADE IN CHINA." The lighters were sold in various colors.

Convenience, drug and discount stores nationwide sold these lighters from January 1998 through February 2001 for about $1.

Consumers should stop using these lighters immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information, call Gladstrong at (877) 666-0664 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday.

These lighters were discovered by CPSC surveillance and from reports from the Franklin, N.H. and Racine, Wis. fire departments.

Consumers can also view a video clip about this recall (transcript). This is in "streaming video" format.

Remedy:

Consumers should stop using these lighters immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. 

Incidents/Injuries:

CPSC and Gladstrong Investments have received a report of a 4-year-old girl who died after starting a fire with a Gladstrong Investments lighter and then hid in a closet. The fire caused an estimated $72,000 in damages. In another incident, two brothers, a 4-year-old and a 6-year-old, reportedly ignited clothing and paper inside a car while playing with one of these lighters causing about $1,500 in damages. They were not injured.

Sold At:
Convenience, drug and discount stores nationwide sold these lighters from January 1998 through February 2001 for about $1.
Manufactured In:
China
Recall number:
01-124

Note: Individual Commissioners may have statements related to this topic. Please visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.

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About the U.S. CPSC

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of injuries associated with consumer products over the past 50 years.

Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.

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