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October 19, 2018

Wireless Speakers Cause $2,000 in Damage After Igniting

The speakers from Brookstone are under an official recall from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

By  Christopher Ruvo

Wireless speakers from Brookstone caused about $2,000 of property damage after they overheated and ignited, government officials said Friday. Now, the U.S. Product Safety Commission has announced a recall on the Brookstone Big Blue Party indoor/outdoor wireless speakers. “Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled speakers and properly dispose of the lithium-ion battery packs according to state and local regulations,” the CPSC said in a statement.

The recalled Big Blue Party wireless indoor/outdoor speaker from Brookstone

Indeed, product safety officials said the lithium ion battery is the cause of the problem. They can overheat and catch fire. Brookstone, which proceeded with the recall voluntarily and cooperated with the CPSC, has fielded 12 reports of the speakers igniting. In at least five instances, the burning speakers caused property damage.

According to the CPSC, about 164,000 speakers sold for approximately $200 each between December 2013 and August 2018. Made in China by Plastoform Industries LTD. and imported by Merrimack, NH-based Brookstone, the speakers retailed at Ace Hardware, Bloomingdale's, Bon-Ton, Brookstone, Macy’s, Patriot stores and other stores nationwide, as well as on the Home Shopping Network and online at Amazon.com, Brookstone.com, RueLaLa.com, Wayfair.com, Zulily.com and other websites.

The CSPC described the speakers as silver or gray in color. They measure about six inches wide by six inches deep by 16 inches tall. The SKU is printed on the bottom underside of the speaker. Affected SKUs are 849504, 318417, and 952645. The speaker may also have “Brookstone” printed at the bottom on one side of the speaker, as well as on the label on the underside.

Brookestone has filed for bankruptcy, but the CPSC said concerned consumers can still contact the company and Omni Management Group about a possible refund. Try Brookstone toll-free at 866-576-7337 any time or go online to www.omnimgt.com/BrookstonerecallFAQ/ for more information.