Vacuums Sold At Target, Walmart, Lowes, Best Buy, And Kohl’s Recalled Over Fire Risk

Bissell recently announced the recall of over 142,000 vacuum cleaners sold at major retailers because the battery pack can overheat and smoke, posing a substantial fire risk. The Bissell Multi Reach Hand and Floor Vacuum Cleaners have been included in a fast-track recall by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission. At present, the company has received 17 reports of the recalled vacuum cleaners smoking or emitting a burning odor. In six of these reports, consumers complained that the battery pack caught fire. Three instances included reports of minor property damage and two included reports of minor burn injuries.

The recall includes models 1985, 19851 (the Multi Auto), 19859, 1989T, 2151, 21512, 21513, 21517, 21518, 21519, 21t1A, 2151T, 2151W, 2151V.

The vacuums were sold at Best Buy, Walmart, Target, Kohl’s, Macy’s, and Lowes among other stores nationwide. They were also sold on the manufacturer’s website, www.bissell.com in addition to other online vendors such as Amazon, HSN, and more. The products were sold between August 2016 and December 2022 for between $110 and $270.

Bissell recommends that owners immediately stop using the vacuums and contact the company for instructions on how to deplete the charge of the battery. Bissell is offering a free replacement vacuum to all customers who made a purchase.

Lithium-ion battery fires and product liability 

Lithium-ion batteries are generally safe to use and power most of the devices we take for granted today. That doesn’t mean, however, that they haven’t faced their fair share of problems. Lithium-ion batteries can overheat, and when they do, the fires can be very difficult to put out increasing the risk of burn accidents and major property damage.

In this case, there may have been a problem with the charging system that caused the lithium-ion battery that powered the vacuum to overheat resulting in fire damage and injuries. In this case, it’s less likely that the batteries are the problem and more likely that the charging system in the vacuum is the problem. This means that the primary liability would fall on the company that manufactured the vacuum if injuries or property damage occur. Plaintiffs would be entitled to recover damages related to their burn injuries or any property damage caused by the defective product.

In this case, it’s likely that a design defect in the vacuum itself contributed to the problem of overheating. In a product liability lawsuit, plaintiffs can make one of three allegations against a product manufacturer to win a personal injury claim against the company. They can claim that a product design defect led to their injury, that a manufacturing defect led to injury, or that the company failed to warn them about an inherent danger of using the product.

Talk to a Florida Product Liability Lawyer Today 

Halpern, Santos & Pinkert represent the interests of Florida residents who have been injured by dangerous or defective products. Call our Florida personal injury lawyers today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how we can help you recover damages related to your medical expenses, lost wages, and reduced quality of life.

Source:

wfmj.com/story/50410479/vacuums-sold-at-lowes-macys-kohls-target-walmart-best-buy-recalled-over-fire-risk