May 18, 2018 | By Greene Broillet & Wheeler
The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the maker of Blair chenille robes recently re-announced their April 2009 “urgent recall” of the full-length robes and similar products. Since the original recall, the Blair company has received reports of nine deaths caused by its robes catching on fire.
At the time of the original recall, Blair LLC of Warren, Pa., makers of the robes, had received three reports of fires, including one that involved second-degree burns. The company learned of the deaths after it sent recall informational letters to buyers of the robes.
The company sold the robes, which were made in Pakistan, in its catalogs, on its Web site and in its Pennsylvania and Delaware stores from January 2003 through March 2009. The robes sold for $20 to $40.
On its Web site, Blair acknowledges receiving reports of nine fatalities “allegedly due to the robes catching fire.” It said all nine deaths occurred prior to the April recall of 162,000 robes.
Blair acknowledges that only “some of the recalled robes meet the federal flammability standard.” In a statement on its Web site, the company says it received test reports from independent commercial testing labs indicating the robes met the federal flammability standard.
Consumers who still possess a Blair chenille robe are encouraged by both the company and the Consumer Product Safety Commission to immediately discontinue using the robe. You can then return the item for a refund.
The robes have a sewn-in label stating: “100% Cotton, RN 81700, Made in Pakistan” and have item numbers 3093111, 3093112, 3093113, 3093114, 3093115 or 3093116 on a label in the neck.
If you or a loved one has been injured because a Blair chenille robe caught fire, contact a personal injury and product defect attorney immediately. An experienced injury lawyer can help determine liability for the injuries and help you obtain fair compensation for medical costs, related debts, as well as pain and suffering.