Product recall: mobile battery cases, rechargeable external battery cases, flashlights

DETAILS: Rocketfish Model RF-KL12 Mobile Battery Cases for iPhone 3G and 3GS imported by best Buy Co. inc., of Richfield, Minn.; sold exclusively at best Buy stores nationwide, Future Shop and online from about April 2010 through about September 2011. the battery case is made of black lightweight, soft-touch rubberized material designed to hold the phone and comes with a built-in battery. the mobile battery cases were manufactured in China.

WHY: the battery case can overheat while charging, posing a fire hazard.

INCIDENTS: CPSC and the firm have received about 14 reports of the battery cases overheating in the United States, including three reports of minor burns to consumers and four reports of minor property damage.

HOW MANY: About 31,000 in the U.S. and about 1,000 in Canada.

FOR MORE: Contact best Buy at 800-917-5737 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. EST, or visit the firm’s websites at bestbuy.com (U.S.), bestbuy.ca or futureshop.ca (Canada).

RECHARGEABLE EXTERNAL BATTERY CASES

DETAILS: Rechargeable External Battery Case imported by Mophie LLC, of Paw Paw, Mich.; sold at B& H Photo, Barnes & Noble, InMotion Entertainment, J&R Music World, Marine Corps Exchange stores, Amazon.com and mophie.com since April 2011. the Mophie Juice Pack Air rechargeable external battery consists of a lithium polymer battery built into a plastic case designed to snap onto the back of an iPod Touch 4G music player. the battery cases come in black, blue or red. the cases were manufactured in China.

WHY: the battery case’s integrated circuit switch can overheat, posing a burn hazard.

INCIDENTS: Mophie has received 110 reports of the product becoming warm to the touch, 44 reports of the product deforming and nine reports of minor burns.

HOW MANY: About 6,118.

FOR MORE: Contact Mophie at 877-308-4581 Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST or visit the firm’s website at mophie.com/exchange .

PROJECTION FLASHLIGHTS

DETAILS: Halloween Projection Flashlights imported by Nygala Corp., of Teterboro, N.J.; sold at discount stores in California, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, new Jersey, new York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Utah from August 2010 through October 2011. the black and orange plastic flashlight is 6 ½ inches long and has pumpkins, bats, witches, haunted houses and cats on the handle. the flashlights come with six different plastic lenses that attach to the flashlight to project various images, including a pumpkin, bat, witch, haunted house and cat. the flashlights were manufactured in China.

WHY: the flashlights can overheat, blister and melt, posing fire and burn hazards.

INCIDENTS: the firm has received one reported incident involving a flashlight that overheated, blistered and melted.

HOW MANY: About 10,000.

FOR MORE: Contact Nygala Corp. at 800-445-5936 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s website flomousa.com .

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