Family Dollar Stores Recalls Optimus Tower Quartz Heaters Due to Overheating and Fire Hazards

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–May 9, 2013. Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Recall date: May 09, 2013 – Recall number: 13-186

Optimus Tower Quartz Heater, Model Number H-5232

Recall Summary

Name of product: Portable Heaters

Hazard: The heaters can overheat posing a fire hazard.

Remedy: View Details

Refund

Consumer Contact: Family Dollar Stores at (800) 547-0359 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.familydollar.com, then click on Product Recalls in the Help section at the bottom of the page.

Recall Details

Units: About 19,640

Description: Optimus Tower Quartz Heaters are portable electric tower heaters that are about 10 inches wide, 25 inches tall and 9 inches deep. The heaters have a white metal casing with a white plastic top, a wire cage protecting the heating elements and vent slits at the bottom. The front section of the top has the brand name Optimus, a power light, a caution light and two dials. One dial turns the heater on or off and selects the power of either 750 watts or 1500 watts. The other control knob selects the heat range between high and low. The rear section of the top has fire, high temperature and shock warnings and diagrams of the heater being used in 750 watt mode and 1500 watt mode. Model number “H-5232” is on a silver sticker on the bottom of the heater below the words “Optimus” and “Quartz Heater.”

Incidents/Injuries: Family Dollar Stores has received 10 reports of overheating, including some reports of temperature knobs melting. The firm has not received reports of injury, fire or property damage.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately unplug and stop using the heaters and return the product to any Family Dollar Stores location for a full refund.

Sold exclusively at: Family Dollar Stores from September 2012 through December 2012 for about $35.

Importer: Family Dollar Services Inc., of Matthews, N.C.

Manufactured in: China

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on SaferProducts.gov

CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $900 billion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products – such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals – contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov, on Twitter @OnSafety or by subscribing to CPSC’s free e-mail newsletters.

Source: cpsc.gov