August 3, 2012 — Sears and Kmart, along with the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), have announced a voluntary recall of nearly 800,000 Kenmore dehumidifiers due to the risk of fire, burns, and severe property damage. Sears has received 107 reports of the dehumidifiers overheating, smoking, melting, or catching on fire. The dehumidifiers have caused more than $7 million in property damage and three people have been injured by smoke inhalation.
The recalled products are made of white plastic, have the Kenmore logo on the front top, and come in 35-, 50-, and 70-pint sizes. They are 21-24 inches tall, about 15 inches wide, and 13.5 inches deep. There are fan and humidity controls on top. There is a front-loading water bucket. Some products come with remote controls.
The defective products were manufactured by Chinese-based LG Electronic Appliance Company between 2003 and 2009, and were sold in Kmart and Sears stores for $140-220.
The CPSC is warning customers to immediately turn off the machine and unplug it. The agency is also still interested to receive reports of injury or property damage related to the product.
Customers who return their recalled dehumidifier are advised to contact Sears for a free gift card. Customers cannot return the recalled product to the store where they were purchased — they must register, print out a pre-paid shipping label, and send in the cord and model/serial label. More information is available at www.kenmoredehumidifierrecall.com .
This is not the first dehumidifier recall traced to LG. On September 14, 2011, the CPSC announced a recall of nearly 100,000 30-pint Goldstar and Comfort-Aire dehumidifiers. The defective products caused nearly $1.5 million in property damage. There were nine serious fires, including one home that suffered $500,000 in damage. The fires were caused by the short-circuits and electrical arcing in the compressor. The products were first recalled in December 2009, but only 2% of people who owned them have received a free repair. The products were sold at Home Depot, Walmart, Ace Hardware, Do It Best, and other retailers from January 2007 until June 2008.
Do I have a Kenmore Dehumidifier Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Kenmore dehumidifier induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been injured by a defective Kenmore dehumidifier, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability & Personal Injury Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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