Wichita, Kan. (KSNW) — The government is warning people to stop using ball-shaped fire extinguishers immediately
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says that Elied fire extinguisher balls may fail to put out fires, putting people at risk of injury and death.
But CPSC says Allied Fire USA Balls refused to issue a recall or help customers with a fix for the products
According to ElideFireUS.com, the ball activates itself within seconds of touching the flame. The ball breaks and a dry chemical extinguishes the fire.
The CPSC states that the products may fail to disperse chemicals effectively and therefore fail to ignite. It states that the balls do not have a pressure gauge or pressure indicator, a locking device to minimize inadvertent discharge, or a nozzle to direct discharge.
The CPSC says the Allied Fire Ball does not meet the UL 299 dry chemical fire extinguisher and UL 711 rating and fire testing requirements for fire extinguishers, which are voluntary safety standards.
The company says its product is not fire-extinguishing, so measuring it against fire-extinguishing standards is not a fair measure.
“We strongly disagree with the CPSC disclosure,” said Chuck Thompson, a company representative. “The nature of our company is to innovate in fire safety because there is not enough fire protection.”
He said that the fire ball has been developed to deal with any possible fire situation. When it’s mounted in a high-risk area, he says it can prevent a small fire from turning into a big one.
“I could go on, but ultimately, there is never enough fire protection, and removing or recommending against a product intended to help because it was tested against standards that are not applicable to the product,” says Thompson.
According to the government, Allied Fire USA sells three models of fire extinguishers. Models ELB01 and ELB02-1 are red. Model ELB02-02 Blue. Products sell between $95 and $120. The CPSC said its warning For all three models.
A CPSC News Release Consumers are urged not to buy or sell fire extinguisher balls. If you already have fire extinguishers, CPSC recommends taking them to your local fire department or hazardous waste disposal facility.
The government says people should only buy fire extinguishers that meet UL 299 and UL 711 safety standards and are marked with those certifications.
