Ikea has announced a voluntary recall of 29,000,000 chest and drawers, after three children died in the past two years after dresser tip-over accidents. The dressers and chests in question can be pulled over by a child if they aren’t securely attached to a wall. When multiple drawers are open, or if a child opens drawers and attempts to climb on them, even dressers that seem too heavy for a child to move can become vulnerable to tipping.
After three deaths in two years, Ikea and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have announced that MALM – and other models of tall dressers are now being recalled.
Consumers can still ask for a free wall anchoring kit, but they can also opt for a refund for their furniture. Ikea is providing full refunds for dressers purchased after 2002, and partial store credit for older furniture. “If you have or think you have one of these products, act immediately,” CPSC Chairman Elliott Kay said in a statement. “It is simply too dangerous to have the recalled furniture in your home unanchored, especially if you have young children.” Safety standards that make dressers more stable are currently voluntary, but some lawmakers are pushing for legislation to make the standards mandatory, the Philadelphia Enquirer reports.