Health Canada Recalls 10,000 Galanz Fridges Due to Fire and Burn Hazards

Health Canada is recalling Galanz Retro refrigerators because they pose fire and burn hazards.

The federal agency announced on Sept. 24 the recall of 10,045 fridges sold in Canada between December 2018 and December 2020​. Manufacturer Zhongshan Galanz Consumer Electric Appliances Co. Ltd. built the fridges in Zhongshan, Guangdong, China​.

“The recalled Galanz Retro refrigerators’ internal electrical components can short circuit and ignite, posing a risk of a fire and burn hazards,” Health Canada said.

The fridges measure about 147 centimetres (58 inches) high, 61 centimetres (24 inches) deep, and 53 centimetres (21 inches) wide. The 7.6-cubic-foot capacity refrigerators have doors with handles on the left side, three adjustable glass shelves, one drawer, and one glass shelf.

The freezer’s top has a separate door, with “Galanz” printed on the front.

Health Canada said the main model code is GLR76TRDER, while the two affected sub-models are BCD-215VF-C-62H and BCD-215VF-D-62H. Also, the UPCs are 686136919715 and 190873001171.

The federal agency noted that the model number and the date code, in MMYYYY format, are printed on a white label on the back.

As of ​Sept. 21​, the company had received two reports of incidents and no reports of injury in Canada, Health Canada said.

The agency urged consumers who own the fridges to immediately stop using the recalled product, unplug it, and go to the Galanz website to complete a registration form to schedule a free in-home repair by a qualified technician.

Health Canada is also reminding consumers to report any health or safety incidents related to the use of this product or any other consumer product or cosmetic by filling out the Consumer Product Incident Report Form.

The agency added that the recall is also posted on the OECD Global Portal on Product Recalls website, which offers information on other international consumer product recalls.

According to the OECD website, a 1,000-watt Kenmore Elite Microwave Oven—another Galanz product—was recalled in November 2019 in the United States. The website noted that incorrect wiring caused the microwave’s exterior to reach temperatures exceeding 84 degrees Celsius (183 degrees Fahrenheit), posing a burn hazard to users.