California company recalls gas control valve recall due to fire hazard

Wednesday, December 22nd 2004, 12:24 pm

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ A California company is recalling about 425,000 gas control valves used in a variety of appliances, heaters and fireplaces amid reports flash fires burned several people after valves stuck in the open position.

The gas control valve can remain open if the pilot light goes out, which permits gas to continue to flow and can result in a gas explosion and fire, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday. Three reports of flash fires and injuries have been received, the CPSC said.

The recalled valves were made by the Robertshaw Controls Co. of Long Beach, Calif., and are from the company's 7000 Series _ though not all valves in the series are included. They were manufactured from February 2003 to September 2004, with production dates beginning with code 0306 and ending with 0436. A full list of recalled model numbers is available at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml05/05073.html.

The valves, assembled in Mexico, are installed in a variety of residential heaters and furnaces, boilers, pool heaters, commercial cooking appliances, water heaters and poultry brooders.

They were sold through gas appliance retailers, distributors and service providers; food service equipment manufacturers and dealers; specialty retailers, such as fireplace, pool and spa dealers; and poultry equipment manufacturers.

Consumers can call Robertshaw at 800-232-9389 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST Monday through Friday for more information or to receive a free repair or replacement.