SaferProducts incident

Failure type

Fire / ignition

Incident narrative

SaferProducts.gov consumer incident report 20190724-920E1-1890196. Severity: Incident, No Injury. Product: GE JB250DFWW (Electric Range). Incident: Caller is reporting that the burners on the range increased to high temperature that she had set on low while cooking. She stated that in another incident she noticed the same problem but this time she could not turn it down she had to power the range off to prevent a fire. Caller stated that she contacted the company and they advised her that her unit was no longer under warranty. Caller is concerned that this range could have caused a house fire and that the matter should be investigated for a recall. July 31,2019 CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION To whom It May Concern: The defective stove burner was out of manufacturer warranty but still under MasterCard's Extended Warranty. The defective part is called a Switch lnfin. I have conducted a further inquiry as to this burners problem. Much to my dismay, I found some troubling results. Its seem the burner overheating problem is not all that uncommon! This particular part is used in a number of electric stove models including smooth tops and by several brand manufacturers including the maker of my stove, General Electric! This part has been used for a number of years as well. This is a serious defect! When the defective burner unexpectedly switches itself to high heat, if not noticed immediately, can and will cause a fire! In my case, had I not been close by, a shallow grease pan would have ignited very quickly! Kitchen fires are horrible and very dangerous not only to residents but property as well. I find it difficult to believe in this age of rapid technical invention a better design of this part is not possible. I really