The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and multiple vendors announced a recall of nearly 5 million swimming pools that the agency believes are linked to nine child drownings.
According to the CPSC, the 48-inch and taller above-ground pools were manufactured in China and have been sold by Bestway, Intex and Polygroup since 2002. Retail locations that sold the recalled pools include Walmart, Target, Lowe’s, Home Depot and Costco, as well as online at Amazon.
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The hazard involves a compression strap that surrounds the pool and runs over its vertical support legs, which can create footholds and allow children access to the pool.
Affected pool models include Bestway’s Power Steel, Intex’s Prism Frame Pool, Polygroup’s Summer Waves and more.
The CPSC believes that nine children aged 22 months to three years drowned between 2007 and 2022 after using the compression strap to enter the pool. The agency added that it knew of three other incidents in 2011 and 2012 where children used the strap to climb into the pool.
The CPSC instructed owners of the recalled pools to contact Bestway, Intex and Polygroup to receive a free repair kit. The kit features a rope that attaches to the support poles at the ground level. Consumers should install the repair before cutting and removing the compression strap.
Owners can drain the pool until the repair arrives or ensure that children cannot access the pool unattended.
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