A gas grill bursts into flames during a backyard cookout. That’s what one Tulsa man says happened when he was grilling burgers the other night. Now, some stores have pulled the grills from their shelves.
It’s a model of a Perfect Flame gas grill, bought at Lowes hardware store. A manager at Lowes said they pulled this grill from shelves last week. Just before that happened, Lowe’s took away Chris Jeffers grill. They gave him a full refund. But Jeffers says the manufacturer is ignoring a dangerous problem.
In early July, Chris Jeffers says he was grilling the way he always does, following instructions. Then something happened.
He said, “We put our hamburgers on, closed the lid walked in the house to finish preparation, and we go back outside and the whole grill’s on fire…The flames were leaping out the back of it up over the top of it.”
He said he shut the gas off, but that didn’t slow down the fire.
“When I sprayed it with a fire extinguisher, it shot pieces like this all over my yard … I don’t know what was in the metal, but something was in the metal that kept the fire going.”
He posted pictures to his website to help warn others about this grill. He said he showed the manufacturer his website so the company could warn others or recall the grill.
The company offered to pay Jeffers for the grill in exchange for keeping quiet.
Jeffers said, “Then, when they didn’t hear anything from me all day, they actually sent me a copy of a check made out to me…I was shocked.”
Jeffers said wasn’t persuaded.
“I’m not taking the site down for them. I want people to know… I want to spread the word… I want people to know that these grills could possibly injure them, damage their property or potentially even kill somebody.”
The grill manufacturer is a company called “Lucas Innovations”. Their customer service representative could only confirm… the manufacturer has NOT recalled the grill. We are still waiting to hear back form the manufacturer with more details.
Emily contacted Lowe’s Public Relations to find out just how many Lowe’s stores have pulled the grill from their shelves and why they did if there was no recall. I am still waiting for that information.
Jeffers has filed a formal complaint with the CPSC. The director of public affairs told Fox 23, she cannot comment on any investigations.
