A massive recall of strollers is in the works following reports of children’s fingertips being amputated, news media outlets are reporting today.

The Daily News reported that Maclaren, a huge stroller maker, is recalling some one million strollers; the recall includes every Maclaren stroller sold in the past decade, since 1999, said the Daily News. A carriage hinge appears to be responsible for the injuries.

One dozen children reportedly suffered amputations linked to the Maclaren strollers, said the Daily news, which noted that the high-end British strollers are extremely popular worldwide. Maclaren will be sending protective covers for the hinges, said the Daily News. “Parents should stop using these strollers right away,” said the Daily News’ source.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said this recall involves all Maclaren single and double umbrella strollers. The word “Maclaren” is printed on the stroller and the affected models included Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno, and Easy Traveller. The CPSC said that the recalled strollers’ hinge mechanism poses a fingertip amputation and laceration hazard to the child when the consumer is unfolding/opening the stroller. To date, the firm has received 15 reports of children placing their finger in the stroller’s hinge mechanism, 12 of these involved amputations in the United States.

Maclaren USA, Inc., which is located in South Norwalk, Connecticut, can be reached toll-free at 1-877-688-2326 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m, Eastern Time, Monday through Friday or at its website at www.maclaren.us/recall

The CPSC reported that the recalled Maclaren strollers, which were manufactured in China, were sold at Babies“R”Us, Target, and other juvenile product and mass merchandise retailers nationwide from 1999 through November 2009 for between $100 and $360.

The CPSC Is advising consumers to immediately stop using these recalled strollers and contact Maclaren USA to receive a free repair kit.

The recalled Maclaren strollers were manufactured in China. Of note, defective imports from China have been making headlines in recent years; this massive stroller recall is another of many such issues on which we have been writing.

In 2008, nearly 80 percent of all product recalls in the United States involved imports from China. Products such as dog food, baby formula, toys with lead paint, and even pharmaceuticals like heparin have been found to have been made with toxic materials and other counterfeit ingredients that have long been putting United States consumers at significant risk. Also making news is the ongoing Chinese drywall disaster involving imports from that country.

This entry was posted on Monday, November 9th, 2009 at 11:04 am and is filed under Defective Products, Product Recalls.