Unsafe electric blankets blamed for housefires

May 21st, 2012

Appliance News Heaters Heating & Cooling

A spate of house fires has spurred the ACCC to re-issue a warning for people to check their electric blankets.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is reminding people to look out for faulty electric blankets on its dedicated product recall website, a month after officially recalling an electric blanket distributed in Kmart and BIG W.

“A number of recent house-fires and a fatality apparently caused by faulty electric blankets have prompted state fire departments to remind the public to be especially vigilant about checking wiring and the general condition of their electric blankets this winter,” said the ACCC.

“Consumers are also alerted to the recall of an electric blanket supplied by Gerard Sourcing and Manufacturing and branded as LINDA, Kmart “Homemaker” and BIG W “Living Essentials” electric blankets.

“The items are being recalled because the wiring may develop a short circuit when the control box cable flexes during normal use. This could cause the user to be electrocuted or may cause a house-fire. “

The unsafe electric blankets, which were also for sale at Harris Scarfe, were sold between March 2004 and November 2009.

The recall notice asks consumers to look out for: “a severe bend in the electrical supply lead at the connector between the detachable controller and the blanket, there is a risk of an electrical short circuit occuring.”

Keri Algar

Having once had to sit on the washing machine to stop it from bouncing into oblivion, Keri is today delighted with the new (smoother running) technologies that make housework easier every day. A self-confessed lazy-bones, Keri seeks out quirky inventions that ease the human workload, such as the robotic vacuum cleaner (wow). And as soon as someone figures out a Jetsons-like self-cleaning house, she will happily lay her pen to rest and retire from appliance journalism. Until then, her pick is a fridge that will tell her smartphone when it's time to pick up more beer on the way home. Magic.