Isea relaunches recall aner eiohth child dies
Children’s chest prone to tippini over
NEW YORK — Ikea relaunched a recall of 17.3 million chests and dressers Tuesday after the death of an eighth child.
CEO Lars Petersson said Ikea wants to increase awareness of the recall campaign for several types of chest and dressers that can easily tip over if not properly anchored to a wall.
The death of a California toddler, who was found trapped underneath an Ikea Malm dresser in May, has raised questions about whether
Ikea has effectively spread the word about the recall, which was first announced in June 2016. The Swedish retailer and federal safety regulators are asking customers to take immediate action to secure the dressers or to return them.
Petersson said Ikea has had an “extensive communication” campaign through social media, its website and television and print ads. The company also has emailed 13 million people, he said.
The recall is for children’s chests and drawers taller than 23.5 inches and adult chests and dressers taller than 29.5 inches. Customers should contact Ikea for a free wall-mounting kit. The company is also offering to send crews to attach them in the home.
Ikea originally said the recall was for 29 million chest and drawers in the U.S. but has revised the figure to 17.3 million because the bigger figure included furniture that didn’t fit the parameters of the recall.
Canadian safety officials issued a similar recall last year for Ikea chest and dressers that don’t meet North American voluntary standards.
Ikea is offering full refunds for anyone who no longer wants the chest and dressers manufactured between January 2002 and June 2016. Those with recalled furniture made prior to that can receive a partial store credit. Customers can bring them to a store, or Ikea will pick them up.
At least eight children under the age of three have been killed when an Ikea dresser fell on them, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The first death was 28 years ago and the others occurred after 2002.