5 million pools sold at Walmart, Target, Amazon and more recalled after multiple kids drown

5 million pools sold at Walmart, Target, Amazon and more recalled after multiple kids drown

(Gray News) – Millions of above-ground pools are being recalled after at least nine children have drowned in them, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The recall was announced Monday for multiple models of pools, totaling about 5 million units.

A child can use the compression strap to stand on above-ground pool, illustrating the hazard involved.(U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)

The pool brand names and model numbers are printed on the pool liner on the outside of the pool.

The models include:

• Bestway and Coleman Models
  • Sold 2008-2024
    • Power Steel
    • Steel Pro
    • Coleman Power Steel
• Intex Models
  • Sold 2002-2012
    • Metal Frame Pools
    • Ultra Frame Pools
• Intext Models (sold only at Intexcorp.com and Walmart)
  • Sold 2024-2025
    • Prism Frame Pool
    • Ultra XTR Frame Pool
• Polygroup Models
  • Sold 2006-2025
    • Summer Waves (2015-2025)
    • Summer Escapes (2006-2015)
    • Funsicle (2023-2025)
    • Sand n Sun (2008-2011)
    • Blue Wave (2014-2025)

The recalled pools are 48-inch and taller above-ground pools that use compression straps. These straps wrap around the pool on the outside of the supporting poles, and may create a foothold, allowing a child to access the pool and drown.

Here are examples of recalled above-ground pools with arrows showing the compression strap running externally on the outside and over the vertical support legs.(U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)

Children can still gain access to the pools using these footholds even if the ladder is removed.

The CPSC believes that nine children between the ages of 22 months and 3 years old have drowned after gaining access to the pools via the footholds. The deaths occurred in California, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin and Missouri between 2007 and 2022.

The CPSC said three other incidents have been reported where children gained access to the pools by the compression straps, but thankfully, they did not drown.

Here are examples of strap configurations for recalled pools.(U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)Here are examples of strap configurations running behind the pole for above-ground pools that are NOT recalled.(U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)

The recalled above-ground pools have been sold at major retailers nationwide including Walmart, Target, Sears, Lowe’s, Kmart, Toys “R” Us, Sam’s Club, The Home Depot, Big Lots, Costco, BJ’s and more, as well as online at Amazon.com, Wayfair.com and Bestway USA, Intex, Funsicle and Summer Waves websites.

If you have these pools, you should immediately contact Bestway, Intex, and Polygroup to receive a free repair kit that eliminates the hazardous compression straps.

More information can be found here.

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