Kmart urgently recalls two popular products – “It blew up on me!”
Kmart has made an urgent safety recall for its Jackeroo and Active & Co camping stoves purchased between November 2015 and May 2017.
These popular products are being recalled for the second time in six months due to safety concerns.
The recall was announced on Kmart’s Facebook page, explaining that it was “due to an issue with the manufacturing”, warning customers to stop using the products immediately.
“If you have purchased either of these products, please stop using it and return it to any Kmart store for a full refund,” the post read.
Product Safety Australia warned, “Gas leakage may occur while the product is in use.”
According to Yahoo7, the second recall alert was issued because few customers had returned the items after the first notice in September last year.
“At Kmart the safety of our customers is our absolute priority,” a Kmart spokesperson said.
“Back in September 2017 we issued a recall notice for the portable single burner stove, however due to a low return rate we have reissued the recall notice to continue to bring awareness.
“If any customer has the portable single burner stove please return this product to the store for a full refund.
“People have been injured in two incidents in Western Australia and Victoria because of gas leaks from these devices,” said the Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Dr Anthony Lynham.
“An explosion from a butane canister cooker could cause severe injury to anyone standing close, not only burns but cuts and lacerations from flying metal debris.
“The energy released is enough to create a shock wave to knock a person off balance and the fire ball can be up to 6 metres in diameter,” Dr Lynham explained in a media statement last year.
Various Kmart customers have taken to social media to share their scary experiences with the camping stoves.
“In January last year my partner and I had bought this from Kmart. Whilst using it on a beautiful day on the beach, it exploded in my face with me suffering burns to my right arm (partial thickness) to my face and even the inside of my throat,” one person wrote.
“THIS BURNER BLEW UP ON ME!!!!! Exploded at the gas bottle connection and lots of uncontrollable burning gas. I burnt my arms getting it away from the kids and threw it in the Yass River. It was our first night camping,” another person said.
“I purchased one of these stoves, and made a complaint to your store following the stove catching on fire at a children’s BBQ. I was told after an “internal investigation” that the product was safe and suitable for use, and that the matter would not be looked into further. Now I read this, which is extremely disappointing,” another customer shared.
Did you purchase either of these camping stoves? Let us know in the comments below.