A 29-year-old Colorado mother died in Andover, Mass. after fracturing her  neck going down a Banzai in-ground pool water slide which had been placed over  the concrete edge of a pool. The woman hit her head at the bottom of the  slide because it had partially deflated.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., of Bentonville, Ark. and Toys R Us Inc., of Wayne, NJ,  in cooperation with The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), are  announcing a recall of about 21,000 inflatable Banzai in-ground pool water slides. During use, the slide can deflate, allowing the user  to hit the ground underneath the slide and become injured. The slide is also  unstable and can topple over in both still and windy conditions and carries  inadequate warnings and instructions.

The CPSC and the retailers have been notified of two other injuries which  occurred in a similar manner, including a 24-year-old man from Springfield, Mo.  who became a quadriplegic, and a woman from Allentown, Pa. who fractured her  neck.

The recall involves Banzai in-ground pool water slides designed for  use with in-ground pools. The vinyl slides have a blue base, yellow  sliding mat and an arch going over the top of the slide. By connecting a hose to  the top of the slide, water can be sprayed on its downward slope. The words  ‘Banzai Splash’ are printed in a circular blue, orange and  white logo, shaped like a wave on either side of the slide.

The recalled slides, which were manufactured in China by Manley Toys, Ltd,  were sold at Walmart and Toys R Us nationwide from January 2005  through June 2009 for about $250. The recalled slides have the barcode  number 2675315734 and model number 15734. Both the barcode and model  number appear on the original packaging but are not on the actual slide.

What to do if you own the Bonzai slide: Immediately stop  using the slide and return it to the nearest Walmart or Toys R Us for a full  refund. Consumers can also cut the two safety warning notices out of the slide  and just return that portion. For additional information from Walmart, call  (800) 925-6278 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the  firm’s website at http://www.walmartstores.com. For additional information from Toys R  Us, call (800) 869-7787 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday and  between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, or visit the firm’s website at  www.toysrus.com.

 

 

 

To report an incident involving the Bonzai slide: Contact the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov or call the CPSC Hotline: (800)  638-2772

Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission