Blog Post

Sears to Fix 4 Million Stoves as Part of Settlement


February 22, 2008
Topic: Products Liability

Sears has agreed to fix more than 4 million stoves it sold over the past few years that have been found to be particularly vulnerable to tipping. The entire exercise is expected to cost Sears $500 million. The stoves have already injured or killed more than 100 people by tipping over and exposing people to scalding. There have also been instances of a tipped over stove crushing people to death.

Consumer groups have applauded the settlement but have voiced strong criticism of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which they say has long been aware of the problem, but took no action against the company. Further, these consumer groups allege the Consumer Products Safety Commission has neglected to warn millions of households across the country of the danger that could arise from these stoves tipping over.

Raven Holbert's family knows exactly how great the danger from the stove is. Their three-year-old child, Raven, felt the full impact of the stove in December 2001 when she opened the stove door in her family's kitchen to reach for a jar of cookies placed on the countertop. The stove collapsed under her weight trapping her beneath. She was rushed to a hospital, but had suffered massive injuries to her chest. She died three days later.

The stoves that were commonly used back in the seventies and eighties were sturdy contraptions that were hardly likely to tip over. Newer stoves however are made of lighter material to cut costs, and have proven deadly in some situations. Cooks have been injured while cooking on these by hot liquids and foods tipping over with the stove.

Throughout all this, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has been a mute spectator. Let alone taking action against Sears, the agency hasn't even bothered to mount a nation-wide awareness campaign about the dangers posed by these stoves. Consumer rights groups claim that millions of people are using these stoves without any knowledge of their potential dangers. To make matters worse, Sears and other retailers often neglect to secure brackets on the stoves that could prevent them from tipping over. Consumers say that contractors tell them it's not really necessary to secure the brackets.

This is gross negligence on Sears' part. It should have had better installation procedures in place for the stoves it sold, and it should have strictly enforced installation procedures for contractors. It seems like there was more cost cutting going on, and not just in the material used in the stoves.

The CPSC says it has on record instances of 33 deaths and 84 injuries relating to a stove tipping over. Consumer groups say that the figures are higher because many injuries go unreported. According to the settlement, Sears will install anti-tip devices in over 4 million stoves that have been sold from July 2000 to September 18, last year. Households that have already purchased anti-tip devices will be compensated $100.

We hope this settlement will force other retailers to look into their installation procedures and ensure that proper securing and safety precautions are followed.

If you have been injured by an unsafe product or a family member has been killed, you need the help of a top California personal injury law firm. Contact a lawyer at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.


The California personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group represent victims of accidents, injuries and wrongful death throughout California from our offices in Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Ventura County, Fresno County, Kern County, Sacramento County, San Fernando Valley, Long Beach, Antelope Valley, Torrance, Glendale, Bakersfield, Santa Ana, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Ontario, and Victorville.