[IMG]http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/i/1/_/fiesta_issues_safety_alert_for_blue_ember_gas_gr_5 52732637/4.gif?f=3dcb3160-01dc-11dc-32a2-0019bbc55f7f&s=AewyNia7NTvDvhaDemju5DEsbnVsbCwwLDA *[/IMG] Fiesta issues safety alert for Blue Ember gas grills
Earlier this month, Fiesta, the maker of Blue Ember gas grills issued a safety warning about potential fire hazards that could result from improper grill assembly. If the firebox is incorrectly placed onto the grill cabinet in a way that routes the burner hose behind the heat shield -- instead of in front -- the hoses can fail from exposure to excessive heat. Hose failure can result in a serious grill fire. According to the manufacturer, there has been one incident of a grill fire resulting from an improper assembly, which caused some minor property damage.
Although there has been no recall issued, the company's web site warns consumers of the hazards of improperly assembling Blue Ember grills and gives clear, illustrated instructions on proper routing of the burner hose. The company told us that they have made some design changes to their grills that would make them more difficult to assemble incorrectly. They will also ship all units with notices alerting consumers to the importance of routing the burner hose in front of the heat shield.
Fiesta told us that they discovered problems with Blue Ember grills that were put together by a retailer's assembler. They claimed to know of no incidents of improper assembly by a consumer. Ironically, we do. A former test engineer who used to test grills for Consumer Reports, bought a Blue Ember grill model FG50069 from The Home Depot. We rated this model a CR Best Buy in our lastest report on grills. The engineer reported to us that, "you put this grill together as per the instructions, the gas hose could easily drape in the wrong place, melt and start a fire." And his did. "The hose completely melted shooting flames up into the firebox. "Although he has put together and tested at least 100 grills while working for us, he got this one wrong. He checked and rechecked the instructions but couldn't find anything that warned about hose placement. We discovered that the instructions have since been changed.
Fiesta asked us to help get the word out to consumers who may have improperly assembled Blue Ember grills. We are happy to oblige, but we think the Consumer Product Safety Commission should issue a safety alert to ensure that the word is spread beyond our readership. We also think that retailers who sell Blue Ember grills should post notices at the point-of-purchase that would alert consumers to this safety issue. Fiesta told us that it is reaching out to customers in their database to alert them about the potential hazard.
If you have experienced problems with gas grill fires or other safety issues, please comment on this posting. You can report any product safety problem through the link on this site. The information you share will help us accomplish our mission of reducing the number of unsafe products on the marketplace. --Don Mays
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