| Office of Information and Public Affairs | Washington, DC 20207 |
Note: Responding Firm Name, Location, Phone Number Change.
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | |
| Originally issued January 3, 1977 Revised May 11, 2004 |
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| Release # 77-001 |
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 3) -- Bernzomatic Corp. (now a brand under Irwin Industrial, located in Wilmington, OH) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today renewed a recall notice to alert consumers that certain outdated fire extinguishers it produced may rupture.
Formerly located in Rochester, N.Y., the company recalled its 1970 model FE18UL disposable foam fire extinguishers August 29, 1974, because of a possible safety hazard. A second recall notice was issued in November, 1975.
As the solution in the devices ages the extinguisher tanks may corrode and there is an increased likelihood of rupture leading to possible injury. The company changed the formula in subsequent models.
The units being recalled are red with white lettering: "Bernzometic Foam Fire Extinguisher." The dimensions are 2 7/8 inches in diameter by 7 l/2 inches in length. The model number of the recalled units, FE18UL, appears in the center of the rear label of the extinguishers with the date "1970" imprinted in the upper left hand corner. The devices were manufactured in 1970 and sold at retail for about $2.49 each during 1970 and 1971. The devices were sold in variety stores and chain grocery stores mostly in the Northeast United States.
The company urges anyone who possesses a Bernzomatic 1970 model FE18UL unit to discharge the contents. A free replacement may be obtained by calling Irwin Industrial (which owns the BernzOmatic brand name) toll-free at 800-654-9011.