By now, most everyone is familiar with the ever-present fidget spinner, which many love and many hate. While most of the sensory-soothing devices are simply mechanical, in an effort to create market separation some spinners now come with blue tooth speakers that allow users to play music from a synced device.
These electronic renditions are experiencing some serious problems, which one Alabama family learned first-hand. Gardendale resident Kimberly Allums told WBRC Fox6 News that she recently heard her son screaming “fire, fire” one morning. When she bolted up the stairs and reached him, Mrs. Allums said her son’s fidget spinner was smoking and in flames. The device also scorched the carpet where it was sitting when it ignited.
As Mrs. Allums told Fox6,
We were about five to ten minutes from leaving the house for the day before this happened. So it was nothing but God that held us back because I was actually running late that morning. I just really want people to be aware of this because a lot of people have been inboxing me reaching out to me leaving messages saying my child has this same fidget spinner. Anytime, you have anything that needs to be charged, we really need to be paying attention to the manufactures of these, doing our research.
She had no luck tracking down the manufacturer of the fidget spinner that was made in China and had been charging for less than 45 minutes. The same thing happened to a Michigan family, and now the Consumer Product Safety Commission is investigating and has issued this statement:
Never charge a product with batteries overnight while you are sleeping. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and use the charger from the manufacturer that is designed specifically for your device.
CPSC is also investigating reported incidents involving children and fidget spinners. We advise parents to keep fidget spinners away from young children, because they can choke on small parts. Warn older children not to put fidget spinners in their mouths.
Consumers should report any fidget spinner incidents to SaferProducts.gov.
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