Fire-prone furnaces recalled

By Josh Grossberg
STAFF WRITER

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is recalling about 30,000 attic furnaces, which include units that have been linked to 29 fires in the South Bay, the agency announced Monday.

The furnaces are among 190,000 fire-prone furnaces sold in California from 1983 to 1994. Seven companies are offering to repair or replace the furnaces, which were sold under their own label, but manufactured by Consolidated Industries Inc.

Statewide, an estimated 50 fires have been caused by the furnaces. No injuries have been reported.

The units - gas-fired horizontal furnaces - were built with faulty steel rods above the burners. The rods, known as "NOx rods," were required to satisfy the California air quality regulations for nitrous oxide emissions, according to CPSC spokesman Ken Giles. The rods help the devices run hotter, but also make them prone to catch fire.

The firms participating in the recall are Amana Company, Bard Manufacturing, Carrier Corp., Goettl Air Conditioning, Goodman Manufacturing, Heat Controller and the Trane Company.

"If you have steel rods, they can overheat and cause a fire," Giles said. "If you don't have steel rods, they won't overheat and you won't have a problem."

Affected units have serial numbers starting with HAC, HBA, HCA, HCC, GSH, THN, GSE, ESG and ISG.

Units sold under the Premier and Consolidated labels are not covered by the recall program. Consolidated declared bankruptcy in 1998, but an ongoing class-action lawsuit is seeking to help owners of Consolidated units recoup their losses.

"This is a good start," said Mike Friege, the senior fire inspector for the Torrance Fire Department, who was involved in identifying the fire hazard posed by the furnaces. "We'd like to see all of the furnaces recalled. This gives optimism to the fact that there may be a recall of all the furnaces eventually."

Although there have been no fires recently in the South Bay, Friege said that's a result of the season.

Consumers who have questions about faulty furnaces can contact the CPSC at 877-347-6456. Or on the Web at www.furnaceinspect.com. Or for information about joining the class-action lawsuit, go to http://www.white-macdonald.com/.

Publish Date:Tuesday July 10