June 24, 1999
WASHINGTON (AP) _ The government today said it was recalling more than 19 million pool "dive sticks" because they can impale children who land on them.
In addition, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said it was recalling an infant carrier because of the danger a child could fall out, and some new Star Wars lightsabers because they may cause burns to their user.
Dive sticks are hard, plastic cylinder-shaped objects that stand upright on the bottom of pools so children can dive down and retrieve them.
The safety commission said that at least six children have been rectally or vaginally impaled by the toys, which have been sold for about 20 years at various retail stores. In another case, a child suffered cuts just below her eye.
"Although the number of reported incidents is relatively low, the severity of the injuries that have occurred is very significant," the commission said in a statement. In four of the six incidents documented, the children required surgery and hospitalization.
The commission recommends that parents throw the toys away. The commission's staff is also recommending that the commission itself ban the future production and importation of the toys.
The safety commission announced two other recalls today:
_Snugli Front & Back Packs with vertical "T" straps. At least 13 children have slipped through the leg openings of the carrier, including one who suffered a fractured skull.
These soft infant carriers have model numbers beginning with 075 and 080. The model number is on a tag inside the carrier which reads, "SOFT CARRIER" and the model number.
Consumers should immediately stop using these carriers and call Evenflo at 800-398-8636 anytime to receive instructions on how to exchange their carrier for a free, new carrier with smaller leg openings.
_Star Wars Lightsabers. CPSC received 38 reports about such toys with batteries that overheated. Three users suffered minor burns.
One of the two models subject to the recalls are the Darth Maul Double-Bladed Lightsaber, which has retractable red plastic "light blades" on both sides of a metallic-gray hand grip. When the blades are fully extended, the toy is 5 feet long.
The other is the Qui-Gon Jinn Lightsaber, which has a single retractable "light blade" made of green plastic that extends from a metallic-gray hand grip to about 3 feet.
Consumers should stop using these Lightsabers immediately and call Hasbro at 888-690-6141 to get a free repair kit.
(Copyright 1999 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
APTV-06-24-99 0716MDT
