Furniture Giant Ikea has initiated a massive recall of over 29 million chests and drawers after reports have surfaced that 6 kids have died after being crushed to death.
The recall was prompted after a deal with federal regulators. There were six toddlers crushed to death in the United States alone after experiencing tip-over accidents.
The world's largest furniture company, based in Sweden, has been holding the accountability for a growing death toll of young children since 1989. According to the NY Times, the head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a stark warning to owners of furniture included in the recall.
Elliot F. Kaye, the commission chairman of US CPSC said, "If you have or think you have one of these products, act immediately." He went on to say that it is dangerous to continue storing the recalled furniture in residents' homes if they are unanchored and if they have young children in the home.
Lawsuits have already been filed against Ikea and the representatives of these cases have welcomed the prompted recall. However, they wished it has been issued sooner. In 2005, there were seven recorded deaths stemming from Ikea furniture, including 70 injuries from Ikea furniture at that time.
That may be the case but Lars Petersson, the president and chief executive of Ikea USA, explained that the recalled furniture was never meant to be standing un-anchored. It should be secured to walls with provided straps. He stresses that it was an "integral part of the assembly instructions." "If you are assembling correctly, the product is actually a very safe product," he said in an interview on Tuesday.
The United States Consumer Product and Safety Commission has tweeted out that Ikea USA kid and adult chest and dresser furnitures are to be refunded. Consumers are advised to visit AnchorIt for more details.
