The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereCPSC·78026·Announced 1978-04-24

Manually Operated Taiwan Gas Valves Recalled for Fire and Explosion Risk

CPSC warns that manually operated gas valves imported from Taiwan since 1976 may leak, creating a risk of fire or explosion in homes.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).

The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The source text explicitly reports two fires and 15 gas leaks, which constitutes significant injury/property-damage reports under the rubric for a Severe (4) rating.

Plain-English summary

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a warning regarding manually operated gas valves manufactured in Taiwan. These valves, which are used to shut off the gas supply to gas appliances, have been imported and distributed nationwide since early 1976. The agency reports that hundreds of thousands of these units have been distributed.

The recall is prompted by reports that the valves may leak, creating the possibility of fire or explosion in the home. Specifically, the suspect valves have reportedly been involved in two fires and 15 gas leaks in Sacramento County, California. The CPSC is currently investigating these reports and attempting to identify all importers of the gas valves.

Consumers who live in homes built or remodeled since early 1976 that use gas appliances, or where new gas appliances have been installed, should check their gas lines. The defective valves can be identified by the number "3/4" or "1/2" stamped on the side of the unit and the word "Taiwan" on the unit's washer. However, other Taiwan-manufactured valves may bear similar identification. If you suspect a defective valve is present or smell gas, contact your local gas company. Anyone aware of a fire or gas leak stemming from a defective valve should report the incident to CPSC's toll-free hotline at 800/638-2772.

The recalled product

Product
Manually operated Taiwan gas valves
Category
Consumer Product — Gas/Propane Connectors/Regulators/Hoses
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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