Irish consumers who own cribs manufactured by Stork Craft should stop using them immediately, the Consumers’ Association of Ireland (CAI) has warned.
The warning comes as Canadian firm Stork Craft Manufacturing Inc is voluntarily recalling more than 2.1 million baby cribs in the United States and Canada due to a potential suffocation hazard.
The cribs were sold online at Amazon.com, Costco.com and Target.com, as well as at major retailers such as JC Penney, Kmart and Wal-Mart, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said.
CAI chief executive Dermott Jewell said anyone in Ireland who has bought a Stork Craft crib and is concerned about its safety should contact the place they bought it to discuss their options. If not completely satisfied with the response they should ask for a refund, he said.
Four suffocation deaths related to cribs with drop-down sides made by the Canadian company have been reported in the United States, the commission said in a statement announcing the recall.
US and Canadian safety officials have received a combined 110 reports of accidents involving Stork Craft drop-side cribs, the agency said.The voluntary recall involves about 1.2 million cribs distributed in the United States and 968,000 units distributed in Canada.
Problems with the cribs' plastic hardware or improper installation could cause the side that drops to detach, creating a potentially dangerous space between the crib and mattress, the agency added.
"The bodies of infants and toddlers can become entrapped in the space which can lead to suffocation. Complete detachment of drop-sides can lead to falls from the crib," the agency said.
The recall includes Stork Craft cribs made and distributed between January 1993 and October 2009, including 147,000 with the Fisher-Price logo. Parents should immediately stop using the recalled cribs and contact Stork Craft for a free repair kit, the agency said.
Mr Jewell said Irish customers should satisfy themselves that the repair kit will do the job and if they are still worried to ask for a refund or money towards a new crib.
Additional reporting: Reuters