Bissell recalled more than 150,000 vacuum cleaners Thursday over a fire hazard.
The company announced the recall of its Multi Hand Reach and Floor vacuum cleaners after it was discovered that the appliance’s battery pack has the potential to “overheat and smoke, causing a fire hazard,” according to a release from the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (USPSC).
RECALL ALERT: About 142,000 Bissell vacuums recalled for fire hazard https://t.co/KrOonRmHwg pic.twitter.com/ih0TOba2hA
— WBTV News (@WBTV_News) February 2, 2024
Bissell was notified of “17 reports of the recalled vacuum cleaners smoking and emitting a burning odor,” the announcement stated. The battery pack of the household appliance caught fire in six of the reported incidents, according to the company. Three of the fires resulted in “minor property damage” and two of the fires caused “minor burn injuries,” according to the release.
About 142,000 of the recalled vacuum cleaners were sold in the United States, while 14,600 of the recalled vacuum cleaners were sold in Canada, according to the release. Affected products were sold from August 2016 and December 2022 for between $110 and $270, according to the release. (RELATED: ‘Peep The Stache’: Target Pulls ‘Civil Rights’ Kit From Shelves Over Major Errors)
Bissell urged affected customers to dispose of their recalled vacuum cleaner and contact the company “for instructions on how to deplete the battery” and to receive a free replacement appliance, the release said. The company stressed its lithium-ion batteries “should be disposed of in accordance with any local and state laws and not in the trash.”
Affected products were sold at stores including Lowe’s, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Target and Best Buy, the announcement stated. They were also sold online from the Bissell, Amazon and HSN websites.