Company recalls 190,000 portable chargers following fire on plane
A recalled VRURC portable charger in black. (Consumer Product Safety Commission)
A company has a recall of nearly 200,000 portable chargers underway, citing a risk of them catching on fire, according to a Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) alert.
In the alert Thursday, it said people should "immediately" stop using the 190,000 recalled VRURC portable chargers. The fire hazard they potentially present stems from a "manufacturing condition" that could cause some to overheat to the point of ignition, the company said on its website.
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While on an airplane, one of the recalled chargers, which all have the model number "OD-B7," experienced the issue, leading to a fire. Four flight attendants working on the flight inhaled enough smoke that they had to go to a hospital, according to the CPSC alert.
The blue version of the recalled VRURC charger. (Consumer Product Safety Commission)
The alert said "built-in cables" with a few different types of connectors come attached to the chargers in addition to a "built-in wall plug."
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The only place VRURC sold the chargers was Amazon’s website, it said.
The company is offering a replacement as a remedy to the issue.
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Until consumers get those, they should not toss the recalled chargers in the garbage or recycling bin, VRURC said on its website. The company asked customers to take them to a place that can dispose of lithium batteries instead.
"The safety of our customers is VRURC’s highest priority," the company said.