A manufacturing defect on the grounding strap can cause the stove to become energized, posing electric shock and electrocution hazards
As an electrocution lawyer, I usually write about downed power lines, utility pole decay and aging infrastructure, which have been the cause of most of the electrocution lawsuits that I’ve litigated over the past thirty years.
But there are significant electrocution and shock injury risks inside the home as well as outside the house. Appliances, like ovens, washers and dryers, and standalone dehumidifiers can all cause an electrocution as well.
One tragic recent example is a stove that caused a plumber to be electrocuted. I urge you to check whether your range is affected.
Electric ranges sold between October 2012 through March 2017
The recall is for approximately 6,300 Summit electric ranges, which the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says can become energized, posing electric shock and electrocution hazards. The recall notice states that “a screw was not installed to secure the grounding strap during manufacturing, posing electric shock and electrocution hazards.”
In August 2016, a professional plumber from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, was electrocuted when, while installing a dishwasher, he came in contact with one of the affected ranges and a grounded object.
The stoves are described as Blomberg BERU 24200 SS, BERU 24100 SS and Summit CLRE24 24-inch wide, freestanding, glass-top electric ranges, which were sold from October 2012 through March 2017. The ranges were manufactured by Arçelik A.S. of Turkey, and imported by Beko of Bolingbrook, Illinois.
If your range meets this description, you should avoid all direct contact with it until the electricity supply is shut off. You should then contact Arçelik to schedule a free on-site inspection and repair. Call (877) 271-1489 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. EST Monday-Friday, or go online to arcelikrange.expertinquiry.com.
