Khaberni - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of over 210,000 portable chargers (power banks) after reports of spontaneous ignitions of several units, revealing that defective devices were sold via the "Amazon" platform and include the INIU 10,000mAh model BI-B41, made with black or blue covers, and bearing the company logo accompanied by a footprint-shaped light.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) stated that the batteries in this model could dangerously overheat and ignite, posing a direct threat of fire and burn injuries, as reported by the "Daily Mail" in the UK.
INIU Company disclosed that they received 15 reports about the overheating of these devices, including 11 incidents of ignition that resulted in three minor injuries and approximately $400,000 in material losses.
According to U.S. authorities, the recalled units were sold on Amazon.com between August 2021 and April 2022 for about $18 per device. Consumers can identify the affected devices by model numbers and the serial number noted on the bottom of the device, which exclusively includes the following serial numbers: 000G21, 000H21, 000I21, 000L21.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission urged consumers to immediately stop using the included chargers and follow the company's announced instructions for replacing or returning them.
INIU confirmed that other models are not affected and remain safe to use, noting that the recall is "voluntary and precautionary" after discovering a potential defect that could lead to overheating in a limited number of devices.
The company urged users to keep the affected device in a cool and dry place until its eligibility for the recall program is confirmed, warning against disposing of it in household waste, as lithium batteries require special handling.
The company stated in its announcement: "Once the recall form is submitted, our team will review the request and notify you of the result within about 15 business days. If the device is confirmed to be eligible, we will proceed with a refund or gift card issuance."
In a similar context, June last year saw a recall of more than one million chargers (power banks) manufactured by Anker following 19 reports that included fires and explosions, in addition to two minor injuries and 11 incidents of property damage totaling losses exceeding $60,000.
The recall included the PowerCore 10000 model, model number A1263, and devices that begin with the serial letters SN, sold between June 2016 and December 2022 priced from $25.99.
The company clarified at the time that the defect was related to the lithium-ion battery, which could dangerously overheat, potentially causing plastic parts to melt, smoke to emit, and fires to erupt. They also advised consumers to immediately stop using the affected chargers and send them to facilities specialized in handling lithium batteries.
