Authorities have recalled more than 400,000 solar-powered umbrellas sold at Costco due to overheating and fire risks.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which issued the recall for the 10-foot SunVilla Solar LED Market Umbrella on Thursday, said consumers reported that lithium-ion batteries in the umbrella’s solar panel could overheat, posing a fire and fire hazard.
Sold in a variety of colors, the umbrella features LED lights along the arms and a black solar panel battery puck on the top with a lid that reads “YEEZE” or “YEEZE 1.” Customers should remove this puck and store it away from the sun or combustible material, the committee said. Consumers are not allowed to charge it with an AC adapter.
Customers identified six cases of lithium-ion batteries overheating, the committee said. Three of these cases were instances where the solar panels caught fire; two in which the umbrella caught fire; and an injury from smoke inhalation.
The committee advised consumers to stop using the umbrella immediately and said owners could return it to Costco or contact the company for a refund.
Costco and SunVilla, the maker of the umbrellas, are contacting known buyers, the committee said. Neither company was immediately available for comment on Sunday.
The Canadian government has also recalled nearly 33,000 of the umbrellas. The product was sold from January 2021 to May 2022, according to the Canadian government’s recall, while the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said the product was available online and in Costco warehouses for $130 to $160, from December 2020 to $130. may 2022.
Lithium batteries have been linked to fires in other products, leading to an increase in deaths and injuries, the New York Fire Department said on Facebook. Late last year, the fires caused by lithium-ion batteries the department responded to rose to 93, from 44 in 2020, and four deaths were attributed to lithium-ion battery fires, up from zero in 2020, the department said.
In April, four separate fires within 24 hours were caused by these batteries in electric scooters and bicycles, injuring 12, the department said.
“If you’re using a lithium battery, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for charging and storage,” the department said. “Always use the manufacturer’s cord and power adapter specifically made for the device. If a battery overheats, stop using it immediately.”
In Vancouver, Canada, lithium-ion battery fires became the leading cause of fire death by 2022, with five deaths reported as of 2022. June 13, authorities said:†
