5 million above-ground pools recalled after deaths of 9 children
Millions of above-ground pools sold at major retailers nationwide are being recalled following the deaths of nine children, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Bestway, Intex and Polygroup, along with the CPSC, announced the recall of approximately 5 million pools on July 21, citing a drowning hazard.
The CPSC said it believes there have been nine deaths of children between 22 months old and 3 years old after the kids gained access to the pools through footholds created by the pools' compression straps. The children's deaths occurred between 2007 and 2022 in California, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Texas and Wisconsin.
The CPSC said it also knows of three additional incidents that unfolded in 2011 and 2012 where children who had accessed the pools had previously reported using the compression straps to enter the pools.
The recall impacts certain above-ground pools that have been sold since 2002. The recalled pools are 48 inches or taller and have compression straps running along the outside and over the vertical support legs of the pool.
The compression strap can create a foothold, giving a child another way to climb into the pool, aside from using the pool's ladder, and can thus pose a risk of drowning even when the ladder is removed, according to the companies.
In a statement to ABC News, Bestway, Intex and Polygroup said they "have a shared commitment to customer safety."
"While most above-ground pools 48 inches or taller in height currently being sold today have already addressed this concern, to ensure that these changes can be applied to all above-ground pools sold since 2002 that are 48 inches or taller in height, we are jointly announcing a voluntary recall in conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada," the three companies said in part. "The safe use of our products is important to us, and we are working together to get the word out about this recall and create a seamless process for our customers to participate."
Customers who have the recalled pools are advised to make sure that children cannot access the pool unattended or to drain the pool until a repair can be installed.
Customers can contact Bestway, Intex and Polygroup to get a free repair kit for a recalled pool. The repair kit includes a rope that attaches to each of the vertical support poles at ground level and wraps around the pool, which will "maintain the structural integrity of the pool." After securing the rope, customers are then asked to cut and remove the compression strap from the pool.
Recalled pools, which were made in China, were sold at stores across the U.S., including Big Lots, BJ's, Costco, Kmart, Lowe's, Sam's Club, Sears, Target, The Home Depot, Toys "R" Us and Walmart. They were also sold online at Amazon.com, Bestway USA, Intex, Funsicle and Summer Waves websites, and Wayfair.com.
The recalled pools cost approximately $400 to more than $1,000, depending on the size and model of the pool and any additional accessories.
A list of recalled pools is available on the CPSC website and on Bestway's website and Intex's website.
