Massive Government Recall On Nearly 40 Million Kidde Fire Extinguishers

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A massive recall has been issued for 37.8 million Kidde fire extinguishers.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission says the extinguishers may not work during an emergency.

The extinguishers date back decades and some models have been recalled before for other issues. The agency claims the extinguishers with plastic handles and push button, or pindicators can clog, resulting in failure to discharge. The nozzles can also pop off with enough force to be a dangerous projectile.

There have been nearly 400 reports of extinguishers malfunctioning resulting in 16 injuries and one death.

Kiddie has released a statement in response to the recall saying "customer safety is our first priority" and that it working with authorities to "ensure that affected fire extinguishers are replaced as quickly as possible."

The company says they will replace defective extinguishers for free with new ones made with metal parts. The list of recalled models is available on the company's website and on the website of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

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