About 400,000 patio umbrellas sold at retailer Costco are being recalled because of a malfunction that can cause the items to catch on fire, according to a federal agency.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that it’s recalling SunVilla “Solar LED Market Umbrellas” after six reported incidents where the products malfunctioned. One of the incidents resulted in a person being sent to the hospital because of smoke inhalation.
The umbrellas were manufactured in China, according to the CPSC. They were imported into the United States via SunVilla Corp., a firm based in California.
“The lithium-ion batteries in the umbrella’s solar panels can overheat, posing fire and burn hazards,” the agency said in the announcement….