The U-S government is recalling almost 40 million fire extinguishers that might not work in an emergency. Jeff Bengtson with the Mankato Public Safety Department says the Consumer Product Safety Commission recall includes Kidde brand fire extinguishers, some with plastic handles and some with push-button release valves. He says, “They’ve been manufactured as far back as 1973, and so I would certainly encourage everybody to go and inspect their fire extinguishers to make sure they are not part of this recall.”
Bentson says the fire extinguishers can become clogged or require excessive force to discharge and can fail to activate during an emergency. In addition, the nozzle can detach with enough force to pose an impact hazard. Anyone with an extinguisher that has been recalled can contact Kidde for a free replacement.