Fire hazard sees recall of 34,000 portable ACs

USA: A recall has been issued on nearly 34,000 Royal Sovereign portable air conditioners after units caught fire, causing one death, two injuries and $1m in property damage.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Royal Sovereign International Inc of Rockleigh, New Jersey, announced the recall after reports of a faulty drain motor in the air conditioners igniting the plastic enclosure of the unit.

Royal Sovereign is aware of 11 reports of the portable air conditioners catching fire or smoking during use, resulting in over $1m in property damage, two injuries and one death due to smoke inhalation. In August 2016, a woman died from smoke-related injuries and her two children were injured after their Royal Sovereign air conditioner caught fire. 

This recall involves the following Royal Sovereign models: PAC-3012, PAC-3012 RB, ARP-3012, ARP-3012 KIT, ARP-3012S, ARP-3014 and ARP-3014 SC. Around 33,570 units are thought to be affected.

The recalled units were sold online at Amazon.com and in Sears, COSTCO, Home Depot, BJ’s Wholesale Club, and Best Buy stores nationwide from March 2008 to August 2014 for about $290.