The following information is reprinted from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, at the request of the Alachua County Fire Marshal.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Portable Dehumidifiers
Units: About 98,000
Manufacturer: LG Electronics Tianjin Appliance Co., of China
Hazard: The power connector for the dehumidifier's compressor can short circuit, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: LG has received 11 reports of property damage incidents involving arcing, heat, smoke, including four fires that spread to the building structure and involved significant smoke/water damage. No injuries have been reported.
Description: This recall involves 30 pint portable dehumidifiers sold under the brand names in the chart below. The dehumidifiers are white with a red shut-off button, controls for fan speed and humidity control and a front-loading water bucket. "Goldstar" or "Comfort-Aire" is printed on the front. The model and serial numbers are printed on the interior of the dehumidifiers and can be viewed after the water bucket is removed.
Brand / Model No. / Serial Number Range / Sold at Goldstar / GHD30Y7 / 611TAxx00001~08400, 611TAxx08401~40600, 612TAxx00001~20400, 612TAxx21001~30600 / Home Depot Goldstar / DH305Y7 / 612TAxx00001~00600, 701TAxx00001~16800, 702TAxx00001~03000 / Wal-Mart Comfort-Aire / BHD-301-C / 611TAxx00001~01697, 612TAxx00001~04200, 701TAxx00001~00578, 710TAxx00001~00599 / Heat Controller Inc.
Sold at: The Home Depot, Walmart and Heat Controller Inc. nationwide from January 2007 through June 2008 for between $140 and $150.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dehumidifier, contact LG to determine if it is included in the recall and return it to an authorized LG service center for a free repair.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact LG toll-free at (877) 220-0479 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday and between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. CT on Saturday for the location of an authorized LG service center for the repair, or visit the firm's Web site at www.30pintdehumidifierrecall.com.