Latest news with #fireRisk
The Sun
4 hours ago
- General
- The Sun
Lidl issues urgent recall on everyday kitchen gadget due to fire risk – exact code to check
LIDL has issued an urgent recall of thousands of popular Tower air fryers due to a fire risk. The German discounter said in a statement the Tower 8Ltr Dual Basket Air Fryer has a "risk of overheating". 1 All stock with the code T17129L is said to be faulty. Lidl has advised shoppers to get in contact with suppiler Tower directly to to check if their unit is affected. Tower should also be able to provide details on how customers can go about returning the products. Shoppers who have bought one of the devices can also contact or phone 0203 966 5566 for more information. It is worth noting that no other Tower products are impacted by the recall.
BBC News
16-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Leeds MP warns over dangers of illegally modified e-bikes
The use of illegally modified e-bikes was a growing public safety and fire risk which required "urgent action" from the government, a West Yorkshire MP has said. A report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking (APPGCW) has found that the lack of regulation around e-bike safety was putting lives at risk, particularly among delivery riders in low-paid, high-pressure Hamilton, Labour MP for Leeds North East and co-chair of the APPGCW, said it was a "crisis hiding in plain sight".The increase in battery fires caused by unregulated e-bike conversion kits was a "serious risk", according to Hamilton. The cross-party report, called Unregulated and Unsafe: The Threat of Illegal E-Bikes, was written following an inquiry which took evidence from fire services, police, industry bodies, gig economy workers, academics and regulators. It heard evidence that delivery riders, such as those transporting food, were often exploited and their working conditions were comparable to the "sweated labour" faced by factory workers during the industrial APPGCW report found that as a result of those working conditions, some riders were incentivised to use faster, often illegal, bikes to meet delivery also found that online marketplaces were selling unsafe products with little or no oversight, enforcement, or legal liability. 'Illegal and unsafe' The report called on online retailers to immediately withdraw unsafe e-bike items from sale, and for them to be accountable for unsafe suggested creating a government-backed e-bike safety "kitemark" in order to enable transport authorities and insurance companies to confidently lift e-bike also recommended reinstating "worker" status for gig economy riders so their rights and protections could be said: "While responsible cycling businesses continue to meet high safety standards, the rise of illegal and unsafe e-bikes, often bought online and used in the gig economy, has created serious risks for riders, the public, and the future of active travel. "We need urgent action from government and industry to stop unsafe products entering the UK and to protect those being exploited while trying to earn a living." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
The Sun
13-06-2025
- The Sun
Urgent ‘fire risk' recall for popular gadget bought by 1.1MILLION customers that can melt and spark blazes
AN URGENT "fire risk" recall has been issued for a popular gadget bought by 1.1 million customers. The product may melt and spark blazes due to a manufacturing defect. 2 Anker Innovations have recalled the Anker 321 Power Bank (PowerCore 5K, Black) A1112. It has been discovered that some of the lithium-ion batteries used in their A1112 Anker 321 Power Banks (PowerCore 5K, Black) may pose a fire safety risk due to a manufacturing defect. The lithium-ion battery in the affected power banks can overheat, potentially causing melting of plastic components, smoke and fire hazards. The company have said: "Although only a small number of batteries may be affected by this issue. "Out of an abundance of caution, we are reaching out to all customers who purchased the product between March 1, 2023 and June 6, 2024 to begin a Recall program." Anker has reported this issue to CPSC and is presently working with the recall. If your power bank is verified (based on the SN) as having one of the affected battery cells, they will send you a new one as a replacement. How to check if you own the affected Power Bank Model You can verify the model of your power bank (Black) by looking at the bottom of it and confirm that it reads: Anker 321 Power Bank (PowerCore 5K, Black), Model: A1112. What to do if you own an Anker 321 Power Bank (PowerCore 5K, Black) Model: A1112 1. Store the device in a safe location. 2. Click here to verify your SN, and if it matches, please continue to fill out your product recall information. 3. Immediately stop using this product. DO NOT throw the power bank into the trash or recycling bin. Please dispose of your device at a facility that accepts lithium batteries. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact support@ Please include 'Anker 321 Power Bank Recall' in the subject line Your product recall rights Chief consumer reporter James Flanders reveals all you need to know. Product recalls are an important means of protecting consumers from dangerous goods. As a general rule, if a recall involves a branded product, the manufacturer would usually have lead responsibility for the recall action. But it's often left up to supermarkets to notify customers when products could put them at risk. If you are concerned about the safety of a product you own, always check the manufacturer's website to see if a safety notice has been issued. When it comes to appliances, rather than just food items, the onus is usually on you - the customer - to register the appliance with the manufacturer as if you don't there is no way of contacting you to tell you about a fault. If you become aware that an item you own has been recalled or has any safety noticed issued against it, make sure you follow the instructions given to you by the manufacturer. They should usually provide you with more information and a contact number on its safety notice. In some cases, the manufacturer might ask you to return the item for a full refund or arrange for the faulty product to be collected. You should not be charged for any recall work - such as a repair, replacement or collection of the recalled item The company also offers telephone support. Meanwhile, A home decoration product sold by Wayfair which is described as being 'warm and soothing' has been urgently recalled due to a 'high risk of electric shock'. And LIDL has issued an urgent recall over fears a popular breakfast item contains pieces of metal. Plus, an urgent warning was issued yesterday to UK shops selling a popular sweet product. The Food Standards Agency warned businesses to
The Guardian
31-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Vapers warned not to stockpile ‘fire risk' disposables before UK ban
Vapers have been warned not to stockpile soon-to-be-banned disposables before Sunday's outright ban as they 'pose a significant fire risk'. The Local Government Association (LGA) said users were stocking up on single-use e-cigarettes while they could, as shops would face fines for selling them after the ban takes effect. And although the temptation from consumers may be to hoard their favourite flavours, the LGA said the lithium batteries inside could become a hazard if not stored correctly. David Fothergill, the chair of the LGA's community wellbeing board, said: 'We want to remind businesses to ensure all remaining stocks of disposable vapes are sold, and only buying vapes that follow the new regulations. 'If businesses have any single-use vapes in their possession after Sunday, they will not be able to sell them to shoppers and must ensure they are stored and disposed of safely. 'We would also urge caution to anyone stockpiling disposable vapes. Failing to store disposable vapes correctly could cost lives, given the significant fire risk they pose.' According to research by Haypp, an online nicotine retailer, 82% of disposable vape users are planning to stockpile. The ban is designed to reduce youth vaping and tackle the environmental damage caused by millions of the devices being thrown away each week. Retailers have been told to clear remaining stock and ensure leftover products are disposed of safely. Material Focus, a non-profit focused on improving electrical recycling in the UK, said 5 million disposable vapes were incorrectly discarded each week in the UK in 2024 – nearly four times higher than the previous year. Many contain lithium-ion batteries, posing fire risks and leaching toxic chemicals into the environment when binned incorrectly. Scott Butler, the executive director of Material Focus, said: 'Thirteen vapes every second are being incorrectly gotten rid of, and that's a huge environmental pollution problem. The liquid in many vape batteries is toxic and could run into waterways, as well as harm animals. It's also a significant fire risk because lithium batteries are known to cause fires when crushed with general waste.' 'Vapes are a huge environmental pollution problem, so we hope the ban goes some way to reducing waste,' he added. Disposables are also the most common device used by children who vape, with more than 20% of UK children having tried vaping, according to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). The devices are often sold in sweet flavours and brightly coloured packaging, which campaigners say appeal to underage users. Under the new rules, only vapes that are rechargeable, refillable and fitted with a replaceable coils (the heating element) will be allowed. Experts worry the industry may have already found ways to sidestep the UK government's ban, while cheaper vape imports rerouted from the US risk pushing down prices further. There are also concerns that new US tariffs on Chinese imports may increase cheap vape shipments to the UK, making enforcement of the ban more difficult. Hazel Cheeseman, the deputy chief executive of ASH, said: 'There's already a sizeable illegal market. Whether the disposable vapes ban makes that risk greater, I guess that depends on how quickly the legitimate retailers are making products available to people that suit their needs. 'People don't necessarily want to go looking for illegal products if they can buy legitimate products in their local corner shop or supermarket that meet their needs, why would they go off looking for dodgy ones?' There are also concerns about policing the vapes at borders and ports, said Kate Pike, the lead officer for vaping at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, who stressed that stronger import controls would be essential. 'We have extra funding to do more at ports and borders … From our point of view, it's important, because obviously it makes a big difference if we can stop [illegal vapes entering the country],' she said.
CTV News
28-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Wildfire risk rising as temperatures climb in southern Alberta
The wildfire risk is rising in southern Alberta, with temperatures expected to climb toward the 30 C mark over the next two days. In the Calgary Forest Area, the fire risk has been raised to high, according to Alberta Wildfire. 'Extremely warm temperatures combined with very strong winds will continue to increase the wildfire danger over the coming days,' Alberta Wildfire said in an update Wednesday. 'Although cooler temperatures and the possibility of rain are in the forecast for the coming weekend, we are anticipating several days of high to very high wildfire danger.' Temperatures are expected to continue to climb on Wednesday and Thursday. Environment and Climate Change Canada issued heat warnings for the majority of Alberta, including Calgary and Edmonton. 'Daytime temperatures in the high 20s today will increase to reach 30 degrees Celsius on Thursday. Overnight lows will be near 14 degrees Celsius,' ECCC said. 'Temperatures will begin to cool on Thursday as a cold front moves eastward across the province.' As of Wednesday morning, there were no active wildfires in the CFA. To date, the CFA has experienced 21 wildfires this year that have burned 32.82 hectares of land. The Calgary Forest Area includes a large area in southwestern Alberta, stretching from areas west of Carstairs, Cochrane and Calgary, and down south past Blairmore. Calgary Forest Area A map of the Calgary Forest Area. (Source: Alberta Wildfire) In Banff National Park, which is not included in the forest area, the fire danger is considered moderate, according to a bulletin posted by Parks Canada on Tuesday. 'Under moderate fire danger conditions, fires generally spread along the surface of the ground with the occasional tree or clump of trees igniting. Ground crews with conventional firefighting equipment can usually contain these fires,' Parks Canada says on its website. Any suspicious smoke or illegal campfires in the national park can be reported to Banff dispatch at (403)762-1470. Throughout Alberta's forest areas, there were 40 active wildfires on Wednesday, with 18 considered under control, 20 out of control and two being held.
