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Argos issues safety warning for hundreds of ovens at risk of fire

Notice comes after misprint in installation instructions

Thursday 18 July 2019 14:08 BST

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Fisher-Price statement following baby sleeper product recall

Consumer electronics brand Bush is contacting customers after hundreds of ovens sold at Argos were found to pose a fire risk.

According to Trading Standards, an error was found on page 15 of the instruction manual for the Bush LSBBDFO Double Electric Oven in black or white.

The misprint was made in the section which told customers how to properly connect the cable for the oven.

The error means that customers and qualified engineers who install the kitchen appliance using the supplies instructions could wire the connector box wrong, which in turn could cause the oven to overheat.

In extreme circumstances, the retailer has warned that the wiring could cause a fire and crack the tempered glass front if the oven gets too hot.

The changing face of the British shopping basket

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1/12The changing face of the British shopping basket

The changing face of the British shopping basket

The nation's shopping basket

The 'shopping basket' of items making up the suite of consumer price inflation indices are reviewed every year. Some items are taken out of the basket, some are brought in, to reflect changes in the market and to make sure the indices are up to date and representative of consumer spending patterns. Over 700 goods and services go in the basket to try and accurately reflect household spending. The prices of each item are then tracked over time to measure inflation, or the rate at which prices are rising or falling. Here is how it has changed since 1947.

The changing face of the British shopping basket

1947: Milk, Tea and bread

Many items have been in the basket for a very long time: milk, bread and tea have been there since 1947.

The changing face of the British shopping basket

1956: The tin kettle

If tea has been in our baskets since 1947, the tin kettle dropped out of the list in 1956. It was replaced by the electric kettle in 1987.

The changing face of the British shopping basket

1962: The mangle

The mangle, used to press or flatten sheets, tablecloths, kitchen towels, or clothing and other laundry, disappeared from the nation's shopping basket in 1962.

The changing face of the British shopping basket

1987: The microwave

The microwave made its appearance on the list in 1987. It was added with the vacuum cleaner, the washing machine, the hairdryer and the electric kettle among others.

The changing face of the British shopping basket

1987: Radiosets

Radiosets disappeared from the nation's shopping basket in 1987.

The changing face of the British shopping basket

2001: Credit card fees

Credit card fees appeared on the list in 2011.

The changing face of the British shopping basket

2007: The VHS video recorder

The VHS video recorder disappeared in 2007, coincidentally the Blu-Ray player was added to the list in 2010.

The changing face of the British shopping basket

2014: DVD recorder

The DVD recorder was removed in 2014 due to recording alternatives.

The changing face of the British shopping basket

2014: Video-streaming service subscription

Kevin Spacey appears in a scene from Netflix series “House of Cards.” A video-streaming service subscription was included in 2014’s virtual shopping basket.

The changing face of the British shopping basket

2015: Electronic cigarette refills/liquid

Electronic cigarette refills were introduced due to the increase in expenditure as more people are using e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid.

The changing face of the British shopping basket

2016: Coffee-pods

People are making coffee at home rather than buying it out, thanks to the popularity of coffee pods, which made the list for the first time this year.

As a result, customers who purchased or installed the oven are being advised to stop using it immediately.

The notice only applies to any Bush LSBBDFO Double Electric Oven with the catalogue number 8629445 or 8629517 purchased before 10 May 2019.

Modified instructions were included in all double ovens sold after that date.

Argos is advising customers who have purchased the oven to contact them directly on 0345 257 7271 so they can arrange for the appliance to be tested by a qualified engineer.

In a safety notice, Argos said: “We are very sorry for any inconvenience caused.

“Customer safety is extremely important to us and we appreciate your understanding in this matter.”

An Argos spokesperson added: “We are contacting customers to make sure they have the latest installation instructions for the Bush Double Oven.”

The warning follows a similar recall of Whirlpool tumble dryers which took place last month after they were found to pose a fire risk.

The notice applies to any Bush LSBBDFO Double Electric Oven with the catalogue number 8629445 or 8629517 (Argos/Trading Standards)

The government’s safety standards watchdog stated that more than 5m tumble dryers under Whirlpool’s Hotpoint, Indesit, Creda, Swan and Proline brands were identified as needing a fix to make them safe to operate.

A fault in the dryers was blamed for at least 750 fires over an 11-year period.

At the time, a spokesperson for the firm said: “Safety is our number one priority and we remain committed to resolving any affected tumble dryers that have not yet been modified.”

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