3,000 faulty gas cookers 'could produce deadly carbon monoxide'
More than 3,000 faulty gas cookers which could cause carbon monoxide poisoning are unaccounted for, a consumer watchdog revealed today.
Despite a massive appeal last year to trace 7,500 potentially dangerous machines sold since 2003, about half have not been recovered.
The National Consumer Agency (NCA) reissued a recall and warned at least six deaths in Ireland and the UK have been linked to defective gas cookers with a separate oven and grill.
They are believed to pump out life-threatening carbon monoxide when the grill is operated with the door closed.
Ann Fitzgerald, NCA chief executive, said: “The manufacturers have made a number of attempts to date to trace these cookers, however over 3,000 remain untraced.
“We are again appealing to all consumers to check their cookers.
“We are also urging people staying in holiday homes or mobile homes to check the cookers.
“We would also call on landlords or letting agents, who may be renting their accommodation out to students, to check the cookers in their premises as many of the cookers involved were entry level models, and may have been purchased by landlords for rented accommodation.
“We would also urge people to bring this warning to the attention of elderly relatives and neighbours and, ideally, do the check on their behalf.”
The makes affected are Beko, Flavel, Leisure and New World gas cookers.
Ms Fitzgerald added: “The remaining cookers pose a serious threat so we’re urgently calling on consumers to check if their cooker is affected and to contact the manufacturer’s helpline to arrange for the cooker to be made safe.”
The NCA urged all consumers with gas cookers to check details of the models affected, contact relevant manufacturers and not to use the grill with the grill door closed.
Affected consumers will be entitled to free modifications, the NCA said.
Full details of the makes and contact numbers for the individual companies are available on the NCA’s website www.consumerconnect.ie.
