Hundreds of thousands of space heaters sold at Costco and other major retailers for years are being recalled after reports that the units overheated and caught fire, prompting federal safety officials to warn consumers to stop using them immediately.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced Wednesday that more than 255,000 Vornado tower heaters have been recalled.
The agency said the heater’s fan blade can detach from the motor shaft, causing the unit to overheat and potentially ignite. Vornado has received 32 reports of overheating, including eight fires and one smoke inhalation incident, according to the agency.
Costco sent a letter to its members that the recalled Vornado SRTH small room tower heater was sold between August 2013 and January 2017 with the item number 1002889 (UPC 43765008478).
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“The fan blade can detach from the motor shaft, which can cause a stopped fan condition, leading to overheating and melting of the enclosure and internal parts,” the wholesaler said. “Melted internal parts can ignite and breach the enclosure if the thermal cut off or fuse does not timely activate, posing a fire hazard.”
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The recalled space heaters were also sold at Kohl’s, Bed Bath & Beyond and ACE Hardware, and online at Vornado.com and Amazon.com, from August 2013 through May 2026 for between $40 and $50, the CPSC said.
The agency said the heaters were manufactured in China.
Both Costco and the CPSC urged consumers to stop using the product immediately and contact the Vornado Recall Team at 888-240-2768.
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