2.7 million Canadian fire extinguishers recalled for being defective

An American company is recalling 37 million fire extinguishers in the U.S. and 2.7 million in Canada because they can get clogged or require excessive force to discharge and won't work in an emergency.

KiddeCorporation, based in North Carolina., said Thursday it is recalling 134 different brands of fire extinguishers manufactured betweenJan.1, 1973, and Aug.15, 2017. The recall includes models that wererecalled two years ago.

• A complete list of affected models in the U.S. can be found here.
• The list of affected Canadian models is here.

The U.S. safety regulator,theConsumer Product Safety Commission, said in a release it is aware of 391 instances in which the extinguishers failed, which resulted in at least 16 injuries, 91 instances of property damage and one death, in 2014, when emergency responders could not get an extinguisher to work following a car crash.

SaeedSedarat, the general manager of fire safety equipment sellerTesla Electric Ltd.in Toronto, says his company doesn't sell the extinguishers in question because he finds them inferior to metal-based industrial ones he favours.

"It's because it's cheaper plastic," he said. "Big-box store retailers ... sell these Kiddes with the plastic top but when they bring it to us we refuse to refill them because they're going to lose their charge."

"I tell all my customers 'we do not touch or recharge the ones with the plastic part,'" he said."It was a known fact for the past few years."

Alongside the CPSC in the U.S., Health Canada says it has received two reports of failed activation in Canada, one involving property damages. No one was injured in either incident.

Health Canada is askinganyone with an affected fire extinguisher tocontact the company at 1-855-233-2882. In the U.S. customers are urged to call1-855-271-0773. The companysays customers will be sent a replacement unit, free of charge, within two weeks, and no proof of purchase is required.

Sedaratsays the recall should serve as a reminder to Canadians that are cutting corners with fire safety.

He recommends one up-to-date extinguisher on every level of a home, displayed prominently. "It's a matter of prevention," he said, "it's like insurance."