SaferProducts incident

Failure type

Fire / ignition

Incident narrative

SaferProducts.gov consumer incident report 20190903-040CA-2147377894. Severity: Incident, No Injury. Product: Frigidaire FFHS2611LWC (Side by Side Frigidaire refrigerator, Model # FFHS2611LWC, Serial # 4A339105804. Dangerously defective part is shown as "starter & capacitor". Photos of fried (electrically scorched) parts are available.). Incident: A little over five and a half years ago, we bought a brand new, side by side, Frigidaire refrigerator, model # FHS2611LWC, Serial # 4A33910504. Yesterday, 9/01/19, both my wife and I awoke to strong, hot electrical smells and ran into the kitchen. When it was obvious the smell was coming from the refrigerator, I immediately threw the circuit breaker. This was around 4:30 AM, and it was most fortunate that we both woke up. Several hours later, I had a neighbor come over and help me try to isolate the problem. I pulled the refrigerator out and took the bottom back cover off, to test for electrical problems. No sooner than I turned the refrigerator back on, then there were sparks and a flame coming from what I later identified as the �starter / capacitor� (please see attached photos), which my neighbor also witnessed. These parts, as can be seen, were completely fried and we were at the most a few moments away from a dangerous and potentially catastrophic house fire, and one that could have easily been fatal, especially at that time of the morning. As it stands, we lost the refrigerator, some food, and the convenience of having refrigerated food until 9/11/19, when a replacement refrigerator will be delivered. In reviewing refrigerator reliability and related sites, we found that at least a few other people had experienced �flaming Frigidaire refrigerators�! This is certainly a dangerously defective product and one that should be considered for recall, or at least warn owners. We used this product in the intended and normal use, so the defect and resulting near disaster is Fri