| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | |
| October 20, 1987 | |
| Release # 87-062 |
CPSC Warns of Potentially Hazardous Disposable Butane Cigarette Lighters
WASHINGTON, DC -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Campari USA, Inc., New York, New York, today announced a program to alert consumers to the potential hazards of certain disposable butane cigarette lighters. The lighters in question are labeled "Campari, the smart mixable" on one side of the lighter body and on the other side will say, "Campari, Soda, the classic" or "Campari Grapefruit Juice, the exotic."These lighters were imported beginning in July of 1983 by Campari USA to be used as promotional items and were given to consumers free through liquor sales outlets.
Certain of these lighters can shoot up excessively high flames or spew butane without lighting or before lighting. There have been no injuries reported involving these lighters.
Since a consumer cannot readily differentiate between lighters which may exhibit the problem and those which do not, the firm is urging consumers who may still have these lighters in their possession to carefully dispose of them. In disposing of the lighters, consumers are warned to do so in such a way that children will not have access to the discarded lighters.
The problem with these lighters was first brought to the Commission's attention by the Dade County Florida Fire Department when they received a box of these lighters from an anonymous source. The fire department forwarded the lighters to the Commission. No fires have been reported related to these lighters.
To report unsafe consumer products or to receive safety information, call the CPSC toll-free hotline number at 800-638-CPSC. teletypewriter number for the hearing impaired is 800-638-8270.
