60,000 Wal-Mart Grills Recalled

In July, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. began the recall of 60,000 Red Devil gas grills. The recall was in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which had filed suit against the manufacturers, e4L Inc. and Quantum North America Inc., to initiate the recall.

The two manufacturers had made about 155,000 Red Devil grills. Both of the manufacturers were based in Encino, Calif., before going out of business and filing for bankruptcy protection.

The CPSC issued a warning about these grills in May, and Wal-Mart removed the remaining inventory from its shelves that month.

The design of the Red Devil grills allows users to light the grill at an air intake tube, instead of at the burner. Gas inside the air intake tube ignites and can reach temperatures of up to 750 degrees, which could present a burn or fire hazard if the grills collapse, the CPSC said in a press release.

The CPSC said there were 44 reports of problems with an earlier model of the Red Devil grill. Consumers suffered burns to legs, hands and fingers, and reports of some third-degree burns, after the grills collapsed during use. More than 1,000 consumers returned their grills to the manufacturer because the grills collapsed.

“There were no reports of incidents or injuries from any of the grills sold at Wal-Mart,” said Sarah Clark, a spokesperson for the world’s largest retailer.

Quantum and e4L sold these grills directly to consumers through television infomercials from about May 1998 through January 1999 for about $160. Wal-Mart sold the grills for $60. This recall only includes the grills sold at Wal-Mart.

Clark said customers who bring the Red Devil grills in to a Wal-Mart store will receive a full refund.

Clark said she didn’t know how much money the recall had cost Wal-Mart.