Friday, November 21, 2014

Finger amputations lead to stroller recall

(CNN) — About 4.7 million Graco and Century-branded strollers are being recalled after its maker received reports of 10 full or partial fingertip amputations and one laceration, federal officials said Thursday.

Eleven models of strollers have a folding hinge on the side that “can pinch a child’s finger, posing a laceration or amputation hazard,” officials said.

Caregivers are being advised to show “extreme care when unfolding the stroller to be certain that the hinges are firmly locked before placing a child in the stroller,” the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said.

“Caregivers are advised to immediately remove the child from a stroller that begins to fold to keep their fingers from the side hinge area,” the agency said.

Atlanta-based Graco Children’s Products received six reports of fingertip amputation, four reports of partial-fingertip amputation and one finger laceration, the product safety agency said.

The firm manufactured the strollers in China and will be providing a free repair kit beginning in December.

About 202,000 strollers were also sold in Canada, and about 10,300 more were sold in Mexico, the federal agency said.

Graco said its recall is voluntary.

“Over the past 60 years, safety has been and will continue to be the priority at Graco,” the firm said on its website. “As part of our continuous effort to provide quality and safe products, Graco identified that select stroller models, including some of our LiteRider models that were sold before the updated hinge was available, have folding hinges that could in rare circumstances have the potential to pinch a child’s finger, posing a laceration or amputation hazard.”

The recalled models are Aspen, Breeze, Capri, Cirrus, Glider, Kite, LiteRider, Sierra, Solara, Sterling and TravelMate model strollers and travel systems.

The models bear a manufacture date from August 1, 2000, to September 25, 2014, and were sold at Target, Toys R Us, Walmart and other retail stores nationwide and online. The prices were $40 to $70 for the strollers and $140 to $170 for the travel systems.

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