IKEA Recalls Millions Of Dressers After Death Of Third Child
PHILADELPHIA (CNN/CBS) -- IKEA is now recalling tens of millions of dressers because of the risk of tipping over. The furniture giant issues this voluntary recall because six children, including a West Chester boy two years ago, were killed by the toppling furniture since 1989.
Curren Collas from West Chester died when he was two years old when a six-drawer IKEA dresser, part of the "Malm" series, tipped over and fell on him in February 2014. Months after that, another child was killed in Washington State.
And with the recent death of a third child, IKEA issues this recall, which reportedly could apply to around 29 million dressers.
In a statement the company says, "It is clear there are still unsecured products in customers' homes and we believe that taking further action is the right thing to do." The full statement is available on IKEA's website.
This comes about a year after IKEA tried to address the issue by launching a repair program -- an effort to get kits out to customers to help them secure their furniture. The company says it's been in "close contact" with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which helps carry out recalls, about how to remedy the hazard.
Company spokesperson Mona Liss said details about how much customers will receive under the recall will be announced soon.
This is the latest string of bad news for Ikea. In January, a nonprofit slammed the company for allegedly "illegal and unfair working conditions" in factories that make kitchenware for Ikea and several other major retailers. A month later, European politicians accused the company of evading more than $1 billion in taxes, which Ikea denied.
Federal officials say a child is injured every 24 minutes in this country and a child dies every two weeks because of toppling TVs or furniture.
More information about the recall and how to report an incident involving the product can be found on IKEA's website.
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