Recall: fire alarms may fail to alert consumers

We hear about many types of product recalls throughout the year, from toys to various household appliances to motor vehicles. The basic point of a product recall is to make sure that the unsafe product does not hurt consumers.

A recent recall is definitely alarming because the product is actually made to keep individuals safe. In this case, it is not that the product itself could hurt a consumer, but the concern actually has to do with the product malfunctioning and therefore failing to alert individuals of danger.

Nearly 400,000 heat-activated fire alarms made by Sure Signal Products have been recalled. The alarms can apparently fail to alert those who use it due to a defective fuse. This defect was apparently revealed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Four different brands and models are being recalled; all are either chrome or white in color. These fire alarms were made between Jan. 1, 2014 and July 1, 2015.

Thankfully there have been no reports of injury due to this defective product thus far. Although no reports have been documented, it does not mean that no incidents have happened. Sometimes it takes months or even years before an incident is tied to a defective product.

If a product failed to work and therefore caused injury, it can be just as traumatic as a defective product that directly causes harm to an individual. In these cases, there may be a variety of different entities liable for the injuries stemming from the defective product.