
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, April 16, 1990                   TAG: 9004140254
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: E-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Tammy Poole
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

TAKE CARE WHEN USING NIGHTLIGHTS

Consumers need to be wary of using nightlights near flammable materials. Since 1980, 36 such incidents have resulted in fires, that have caused a total of two deaths and three injuries.

These nightlights were apparently close enough to a bed that falling pillows or blankets touched the hot bulb and started a fire, according to the State Division of Consumer Affairs in Richmond.

To reduce the chance of fire, consumers should:

Locate nightlights away from beds where the bulb might touch flammable material.

Look for nightlights that bear the mark of a recognized testing laboratry, such as Underwriters Laboratory.

Consider using nightlights that have cooler, miniture neon tubes instead of incandescent bulbs.

To report an unsafe product or a product-related injury, contact the CPSC's toll-free hotline at (800) 638-2772.

Car-seat modification

A weakened metal part in 20,000 of Fisher-Price's child car seats made since Feb. 1 could break during a collision, the company has announced. Fisher-Price is offering free repair kits to consumers.

A faulty machine, used during the manufacture of some of the seats, weakened a metal part of the seat. The defect was discovered during tests. The repair kit includes a new part and tools with which to install it.

The problem affects, at most, 20 percent of the seats made between Feb. 1 and April 1. Consumers should call Fisher-Price of East Aurora, N.Y., at (800) 327-9980 to inquire whether their seat is defective and to order a repair kit.

Seats should not be returned to the store.

The seat can be used before the repair kit arrives in the rear-facing position for infants weighing less than 20 pounds, but should not be used for larger children until it is fixed.

Last year, Fisher-Price sent out repair kits for 1.5 million child safety seats that did not meet federal flammability standards.

Quickline helps consumers get service, information and refunds of more than $25. Mail complaints, questions to Quickline, Roanoke Times & World-News, Box 2491, Roanoke name, address, phone number and photocopies of documents such as canceled checks, receipts or credit-card statements. Documents cannot be returned; complaints cannot be taken by phone. Questions not selected for use in the column will not be answered personally.

by CNB