The Recall Desk
Our severity:HighCPSC·00076·Announced 2000-03-09

CPSC Recalls Handy Home Lighters Due to Fire and Burn Risks

Michael's Stores Inc. is recalling about 213,000 Handy Home lighters because they can leak butane and cause excessive flame bursts, posing fire and burn hazards.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a risk-of-harm product (fire/burn) with reported injuries (burns) but no reported deaths or hospitalizations, fitting the 'High' severity criteria for products where injury has been reported but is not severe enough for 'Severe' or 'Critical' classifications.

Plain-English summary

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Michael's Stores Inc. are recalling approximately 213,000 Handy Home all-purpose lighters. The recalled lighters are refillable, contain butane, and are about 9 inches long. They feature a white plastic base, a red, green, or blue plastic handle with a black trigger and switch, and a metal barrel. A yellow label on the handle warns that the contents are extremely flammable and made in China. The lighters were sold in cardboard display sleeves under the Handy Home brand name, though the brand name is not printed on the lighter itself.

The recall was issued because the lighters can leak butane when ignited, resulting in an excessive burst of flame from the tip or other areas. This malfunction presents a risk of fire and burn injuries to consumers. Michael's Stores Inc. has received 14 reports of excessive flame, which resulted in three reports of burns to consumers' hands.

Consumers should stop using the recalled lighters immediately. The source text indicates that no remedy is available for this recall. For more information, consumers can contact Michael's Stores Inc. at (877) 562-3816.

The recalled product

Product
Handy Home lighters
Manufacturer
Michael's Stores Inc., of Irving, Texas
Category
Consumer Product — Lighters
Hazard
Affected units
213,000

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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