Product Safety Australia has issued an urgent recall for the ÅSKSTORM 40W USB charger, sold at IKEA online and in-store nationwide. This particular charger can get damaged or broken, exposing users to live parts of the cable.
There is a risk of burn injuries or death from electric shock if a user touches the damaged cable that is live with electricity. Scary!
The specific model of the IKEA charger that has been recalled is:
- ÅSKSTORM 40W USB charger S
- Dark grey colour
- Model number ‘ICPSW5-40-1’ c
- Article number 304.611.94
The IKEA charger was sold nationally through IKEA stores and websites from 1 April 2020 to 5 December 2023.
IKEA Charger recall: What’s the risk?
According to the PSA:
There is a risk of burn injuries or death from electric shock if a user touches a damaged cable that is live with electricity. There is also a risk of damage to property if the charger catches fire. Incidents have occurred where cables were damaged and caused electric shock and burn injuries to consumers. “
If you do have this IKEA charger, even if it looks okay and isn’t damaged in any way, PSA advises that you stop using the product and contact IKEA via phone or in-store to receive a full refund. There’s no need to show a receipt.
Details on who to contact for more information:
- ACT/NSW/TAS – 02 8020 6641
- Queensland – 07 3380 6800
- Victoria/Tasmania – 03 8523 2154
- Western Australia – 08 8234 3944
- South Australia – 08 8234 3333
Dangers of chargers
Chargers play an important role in our daily lives but they can be damaged quite easily. If you are using a charger, always check that it isn’t damaged before using it.
We shared a story last year about a mum’s phone charger catching on fire while charging on the floor beside her bed. Belinda was lying in bed checking her emails when she thought she could smell something burning. At first she thought there was an electrical fire in the roof and went to investigate. When she returned, she realised the smell was coming from her bedroom.
As she tells Mum Central,
I rushed back into my bedroom and, yep, smoke was wafting up from my shaggy floor rug next to our bed. When I leaned down, I could see my phone cable caught on fire.
I lifted the cable up off the rug and it was on fire! OMG! The end had melted off and was burning the plush rug which was starting a fire.”
And I mean a really bright orange fiery orange. I ripped the cable out of the charging port and ran into the bathroom to put the burning phone cable under the tap. The wire was HOT and the end of the cable was completely melted. At this point, I realised that the end lightning plug had actually melted off into the rug so I ran back to grab the head of the cable and deal with that.
The rug was still smoking and starting to melt but luckily I was able to stop the fire by stomping on it. I rushed to the bathroom to wet the head and stop it from melting and stop to actually process what had just happened. It really could have been so much worse.”
As Belinda explains, the phone didn’t feel hot to touch when she was using it and the phone cable was almost brand new. Very scary!
Apple also issued a warning when using their iPhones, urging customers to only use chargers that say MiA or Made for iPhone. You should also be aware of any counterfeit MiA charging cables that are widely available on the internet, according to Apple.
Apple also warns iPhone users not to place the phone under a blanket, pillow, or your body when it’s connected to a charger. It should be placed face-up on a wireless charger or flat on a table.
Never miss a product recall again.
At Mum Central, we know how important it is to stay on top of product health and safety concerns. This is why we try to alert our readers when a product fails to comply with safety standards.
Please have a read through our product safety recalls for other products that have recently been recalled, including bikes, cots, bassinets, prams and more.
Most recent product recalls:
- Bike Recall: Close to 40 Popular Bike Models Recalled Amid Safety Concerns
- LG Solar Battery Recall: Experts Urge Aussies to Switch off Solar Energy Batteries and Check
- Popular Vaporiser Recalled Due to Overheating Danger
- Kia Recall: Vehicles Recalled Over Fears they will Burst into Flames
- Popular Kmart Baby Chair Recalled Due to Choking Concerns
- Popular Kmart Light Recall Issued Amid Electric Shock Fears
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