Business

Published: Friday October 23, 2009 MYT 7:43:00 AM
Updated: Friday October 23, 2009 MYT 2:41:48 PM

Women's robes leads to nine deaths, company recalls product


WASHINGTON: Highly flammable women's robes sold by a company in the Atlantic seaboard state of Pennsylvania are now linked to nine deaths, and the company is expanding a recall to include more products imported from the Pakistani manufacturer.

Since June, Blair LLC. has received four more reports of deaths linked to the full-length women's chenille robes, according to a Thursday announcement from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Five deaths already had been reported this year.

The products were initially recalled in April by Blair after it learned of three robes having caught on fire, including one report of second-degree burns.

Some of the products failed to meet federal flammability standards, and they present a risk of serious burns to consumers if the garments are exposed to open flame.

The consumer agency and Blair are expanding the recall to include more chenille robes and three other chenille products, all made by A-One Textile & Towel, of Karachi, Pakistan, according to the consumer agency.

Blair received one report involving one of the newly recalled garments catching fire, but no reports of injuries.

About 300,000 units of the garments are now recalled, including the women's full-length chenille robes, women's chenille jackets, women's chenille lounge jackets and women's chenille tops.

Most of the deaths linked to the full-length chenille robes occurred when the victims were cooking.

The victims were mostly in their 70s and 80s, said CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson.

All nine reported deaths occurred before the April recall announcement.

"This robe is highly flammable; flames travel quickly up the robe," said Wolfson.

"It's a deadly risk to women." - AP


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