- There have been 53 reported cases of the devices overheating and igniting, in at least one case causing chemical burns, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
- The devices were sold between December 2014 and July 2017, and owners should receive an email explaining how to get a refund.
ADVERTISEMENT
Amazon is recalling a quarter-million battery chargers that can melt and cause chemical burns (AMZN)
Amazon's external batteries, which are intended to provide on-the-go power for phones and portable devices, were overheating.
Amazon is feeling the heat.
The company has voluntarily recalled six models of its Amazon Basics-branded external power banks, amounting to about 260,000 devices, that were found to have a flaw that could cause them to overheat or ignite.
There have been 53 reports of this happening, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, including one that said the device's battery acid caused chemical burns and four that mentioned property damage from fire and smoke.
ADVERTISEMENT
The CPSC says people who own the devices should unplug them and stop using them immediately.
The models, which have a capacity of 2,000 to 16,100 mAh, are primarily used as a portable power source for electronics like mobile phones and tablets — when you need extra power but don't have an outlet at hand.
The recall applies to power banks sold on Amazon's website, at Amazon Books stores, and at Amazon pop-up stores between December 2014 and July 2017.
The devices cost $9 to $40 and were manufactured by Guoguang Electric in China.
The CPSC says Amazon is contacting people who purchased the products, which include the ID numbers B00LRK8EVO, B00LRK8HJ8, B00LRK8I7O, B00LRK8IV0, B00LRK8JDC, and B00ZQ4JQAA.
ADVERTISEMENT
For owners of the devices who haven't been contacted, Amazon has created a recall page.
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng
ADVERTISEMENT