Recall Issued on Strike First Fire Extinguishers

Strike First said it has determined that the valve stem seats in a number of its 2.5- and 5-pound dry chemical fire extinguishers assembled between December 2002 and February 2004 are oversized.

The company said that the oversized part may prevent the affected fire extinguishers from discharging their contents at the proper velocity, or at all, when the lever is activated.

As a result of this condition, Strike First has initiated a retro-fit program for potentially affected units. Retro-fit kits are available free of charge from Strike First distributors, or by contacting Strike First directly.

Once the valve stem assembly in an affected unit is properly replaced by a qualified fire extinguisher service organization, the unit will discharge as intended, Strike First said in its product safety recall notice.

The Coast Guard said in Safety Alert 1-06, issued March 2 that it recommends that vessel operators verify the manufacturer of their fire extinguishers, and if applicable, take the action recommended by Strike First.