Portable Butane Stove/Range Lawsuit
Last Updated on June 26, 2017
Important Information
Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are no longer investigating this matter. The information here is for reference only. A list of open investigations and lawsuits can be viewed here.
At A Glance
- This Alert Affects
- Anyone whose portable butane stove or range exploded.
- What's Going On?
- It is believed that several brands of portable butane stoves and countertop ranges suffer from a defect that allows the butane canisters to release gas and ignite, explode, or produce a "fireball," all of which may pose a serious injury hazard.
- Who Makes Camping Stoves?
- Popular brands of these products include Coleman, Buffalo Tools, Stansport, Sportsman, Jetboil and Camp Chef.
Attorneys are investigating potential lawsuits against makers of portable butane stoves or ranges, also known as camping stoves, in light of reports that the products pose a fire hazard. It is believed that some of these portable appliances may suffer from a defect that allows butane to escape the canisters, which, as a result, may ignite or explode. Most often, these explosions occurred when victims were replacing the butane canisters on their stoves and ranges, with many victims reporting that the explosions produced “fireballs” that burned their faces, arms and legs.
How Can a Lawsuit Help Me?
By filing a lawsuit, you may be able to hold the company that manufactured your portable butane stove or range accountable for releasing a potentially defective product into the marketplace. Furthermore, you may be able to recover compensation for the cost of your stove or range, as well as any other losses stemming from an explosion, such as medical bills related to burns and other injuries.
What’s Wrong with These Stoves?
Several reports indicate that the explosions may be caused by problems with the design of the butane canisters. In one report, published in the British Medical Journal, doctors treated nine patients who were injured after their stoves and ranges suddenly exploded. In all of the cases, the explosions occurred when the victims were changing the butane canisters on their appliances.
The doctors who treated these patients said that the problem seemed to be caused by the design of the butane canisters, which must be pierced before they are installed. As a result, the doctors said that these canisters can easily leak gas and essentially act “as a bomb waiting to ignite.”
The same report found that the number of injuries caused by butane stove explosions was consistent with reports from fifteen years earlier, noting that manufacturers of these products never changed the designs of their stoves to better protect consumers from explosions.
Before commenting, please review our comment policy.