Consumers who have bought fire extinguishers in the past few years are being asked to check that it is not the 'FIRE CAP Fire and Smoke Suppressant' brand which is potentially dangerous.
"Tests have shown that this particular fire extinguisher could intensify some types of fires, particularly oil fires", ACCC Chairman, Professor Allan Fels, said today. "Preliminary tests conducted by the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service showed that oil fires flared if the Fire Cap extinguisher was used on them.
"The product was originally sold in the United States and may have been sold door-to-door in Northern Queensland over the past two and a half years as part of a safety package.
"The ACCC is concerned that, despite a warning last week by the Queensland Minister for Fair Trading, not all buyers maybe aware of its risks. Some may have bought the item a while ago, moved from Queensland and missed the warning.
"The 300mm high aerosol cans are red, orange, yellow, black and white with a red plastic cap and red aerosol button. Wording on the can reads in part 'FIRE CAP - FIRE and SMOKE SUPPRESSANT' ... 'FOR USE ON SMALL SPOT FIRES'.
"The fire extinguisher was recalled in the US in 2000. The product appears to have been imported before the recall was conducted in the US. It would not have been immediately clear at that time in Australia that there was a problem.
"The Fire Cap extinguisher should not be used. Consumers are advised to discharge the extinguisher onto a grassed area and then safely dispose of the can".
Portable fire extinguishers are covered by a mandatory product safety standard under the Trade Practices Act 1974.
While this product appears to have been primarily supplied in Northern Queensland, consumers who may have been sold the product outside Queensland are asked to contact the ACCC Infocentre on 1300 302 502. Further information regarding mandatory safety standards is available from the Product Safety Australia site.