HP Recalls 6 Million Power Cords Over Fire Hazard

Hewlett-Packard is recalling about 6 million laptop power cords after more than two dozen reports of overheating that resulted in some claims of minor burns to people and property damage had been made.

HP issued the recall Aug. 26, and has set up a Website dedicated to the recall effort. According to a statement issued by the vendor and the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), almost 5.6 million power cords in the United States are being recalled, as are another 446,700 in Canada. According to HP and the agency, the cords were made in China.

Overall, 29 reports of power cords overheating and melting or charring have been sent to HP. There have been two claims of minor burns to people and 13 claims of minor property damage, according to the CPSC. On its site, the agency said that “customers should immediately stop using and unplug the recalled power cords and contact Hewlett-Packard to order a free replacement. Consumers can continue to use the computer on battery power.”

The recall is of the LS-15 AC power cord that is used with HP and Compaq notebooks and with AC adapter-powered peripherals, including docking stations, the CPSC said. The agency describes the cords—which HP said were sold along with the systems and accessories between September 2010 and June 2012—as being black and having an “LS-15” molded mark on the AC adapter end.

The systems—both notebooks and mini-notebooks—and the peripherals were sold with the power cords at stores and authorized dealers, and sold online at HP’s Web site, for about $500 to $1,500, the CPSC said.