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June 28, 2016 - 8:10 AM
BURLINGTON, Ont. - Ikea is recalling 29 million chests and dressers after six children were killed when the units toppled over and fell on them.
All of the children killed were 3 years old or younger, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said. One of the children was killed about 27 years ago. The other deaths were more recent, between 2002 and 2016. The CPSC said it received 36 reports of children who were injured.
The recall, which only applies to customers in the U.S. and Canada, is for several types of Ikea chests and dressers. Ikea said the units under the recall are children's chests and drawers taller than 23.5 inches and adult chests and dressers taller than 29.5 inches.
The Swedish furniture multinational says it will repair or pay a refund for chests of drawers that don't meet North American safety standards.
It also urges customers to stop using the affected chests of drawers and put them out of the reach of children until the furniture can be secured to a wall.
Customers who cannot secure the furniture to a wall are advised to bring the pieces back to any Ikea location for a refund.
Chests and dressers manufactured between January 2002 and June 2016 are qualified for a full refund. Furniture made before 2002 may be eligible for a partial store credit.
Ikea says that the recall affects about half the models of chests that it has sold over the years. But it adds that all products currently in stores and for sale online do fully meet the current standard.
— With files from The Associated Press.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2016