In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Big Lots, of Columbus, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling about 30,000 <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/practice_areas/product_liability">defective metal futon bunk beds that have been linked to at least one entrapment death.
Children behind the futon or in the ladder area of the bunk bed can become entrapped when the futon and its metal frame are lowered from the seated to the flat position.
A three-year old Burlington, Iowa boy died when he became entrapped at the head and neck in the recalled bunk bed in March of 2010. The weight of the futon’s metal frame prevented the child from breathing and escaping. CPR was administered, but the child died at the hospital due to compression asphyxiation.
The bunk beds have an additional hazard. The space between the last rung on the bunk bed’s ladder and the futon mattress is too small, which can allow a child’s body, but not the child’s head, to pass through that area, which creates a head and neck entrapment hazard.
The metal futon bunk beds are constructed with an upper bunk that is designed to hold a twin mattress. The bottom bunks have a convertible futon bed.
This recall involves metal futon bunk beds with model number BFB1008 located on a label on the upper bunk support rail. The recalled metal futon bunk beds were sold exclusively by Big Lots stores, nationwide, from January 2009 through April 2010 for about $200. The defective beds were sold unassembled, and were manufactured in China.
The CPSC is advising consumers to immediately stop using these bunk beds and to contact Big Lots for a free repair kit that contains new ladders and other parts that consumers can install at home. Big Lots can be reached, toll-free, at 1.866.244.5687 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday; by email at [email protected]; or via firm’s website at www.biglots.com.
