The Recall Desk
Our severity:CriticalCPSC·91103·Announced 1991-08-01

Patriot Missile Launcher Fireworks Recalled Due to Malfunctioning Hazard

Patriot Fireworks is recalling approximately 11,000 Patriot Missile Launcher devices because they may tip over and fire horizontally at spectators.

What this means for you

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

Highest-severity recall. The hazard can cause serious injury or death. Stop using the product now and follow the agency's instructions.

Our severity reasoning: The source text explicitly reports a death associated with the product, which mandates a Critical severity score of 5 according to the rubric.

Plain-English summary

Patriot Fireworks, Inc. is voluntarily recalling approximately 11,000 Patriot Missile Launcher fireworks devices in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The device shoots four flaming balls approximately 200 feet into the air. The hazard exists because the device may tip over while operating, particularly when placed on an uneven surface, and fire shots horizontally at ground level, posing a hazard to spectators.

The CPSC learned of the potential hazard from a retailer report and an investigation into the death of a three-year-old boy in Kentucky. The boy was allegedly struck in the head with a ball from a Patriot Missile Launcher that reportedly tipped over while firing. The devices consist of four two-inch diameter cardboard tubes glued to a particle board base and encased in a white paper wrapping with red and blue printing and a picture of a Colonial soldier.

The fireworks were sold in retail stores and fireworks stands nationwide from February through mid-July 1991 at a retail price of about $18 to $29 per four-shot device. Consumers are urged not to use these devices and to return them immediately to the store where purchased for a full refund. If the device was purchased from a temporary stand no longer operating, consumers should call Patriot Fireworks collect at 1-301-287-2365 for instructions on disposing of the device and obtaining a refund.

The recalled product

Product
Patriot Missile Launcher fireworks devices
Manufacturer
Patriot Fireworks
Category
Consumer Product — Fireworks
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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