Approximately one year ago, we were asked to investigate a fire that originated in a small freezer. The freezer was a small chest type unit and according to the nameplate, was rated at 3.5 cu ft capacity. The fire appeared to have originated at the bottom of the unit where the compressor and controls are located. The fire ventilated through the grille located on the side of the freezer, which is designed to allow heat to escape thereby keeping the compressor cool. Burn patterns were present on the side extending from the grille location toward the top of the chest. In this case, the fire was intense enough to have destroyed the controls that were located at the bottom right hand corner of the front side.
Since that investigation was completed, Haier has recalled its 5.3 cu ft chest type freezers. A fire hazard has been identified in these freezers and has a tendency to burn low, in the same area as the 3.5 cu ft freezer described above. The recall can be accessed in the Consumer Product Safety Commission's website, www.cpsc.gov . On this page, click on "Recalls and Product Safety News". On the next page, go to find reports by month and year, enter November 2010. Scroll down until "Haier America Recalls Chest Freezers Due to Fire Hazard" is located. Although the cause of the fire in the 3.5 cu ft unit has not been linked to the cause of the fire in the 5.3 cu ft unit, the CPSC has been requested to look into a possible connection. Fires in either unit should be reported to the CPSC. Before contacting the manufacturer, your insurer should be contacted and given the opportunity to investigate. If the freezer is the source of a fire, the insurer will likely want to subrogate against the manufacturer in order to recover its expenses.