Kids chairs ordered pulled as fire danger
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, May 26, 2003
Sacramento, Calif. — California officials have ordered that some upholstered children's chairs be pulled from sale at KB Toys and Toy Liquidator stores in the state as a potential fire danger.
The California Department of Consumer Affairs' Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation issued a statewide withhold-from-sale order to Kellytoy USA of Los Angeles, which produced the chairs in three superhero designs — Spiderman, the Hulk and X-Men.
"Our inspections and testing show they are in violation of state law," said Lynn Morris, chief of the bureau. The agency is not aware, however, of any reports of injuries, loss of life or property directly related to the chairs.
California is the only state with fire-safety regulations for upholstered furniture in homes. Laboratory tests on five chairs showed they did not meet standards in the state's Technical Bulletin 117, Morris said. The state also said the chairs were improperly labeled.
A total of 5,844 chairs have been sold since 2002, and 421 chairs now at stores have been withheld from sale. Consumers should contact the retailers about returning the chairs, the state said.
