Major Swimming Pool Recall After 9 Deaths
Around 5 million swimming pools are being recalled after nine deaths were reported related to compression straps that could allow a child to access the pools and drown.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Bestway (Hong Kong) International Ltd. (China) and Bestway (USA) Inc. (Chandler, Arizona) (Bestway), Intex Recreation Corp. (Long Beach, California) and Polygroup North America Inc. (El Paso, Texas) all announced the recalls Monday for their 48-inch and taller above-ground pools with compression straps.
“While some consumers may ignore certain recalls, this is certainly one to take seriously,” Alex Beene told Newsweek.
Why It Matters
With summer temperatures averaging into the 80s in places like Texas and Louisiana, many Americans have purchased new pools to soak off the sun with.
However, depending on design flaws, your new pool could pose significant safety risks, especially if you have a small child in your home.
Every year in the United States, there are over 4,000 unintentional drowning deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And notably, more children ages 1-4 die from drowning than from any other cause of death.
What To Know
Consumers should take note of the recall if they own a 48-inch and taller above-ground pool with compression straps running on the outside.
Stock image of a child jumping off a ladder into an above-ground pool.
Andrii Zorii/Getty Images
These pools were recalled as the compression strap that surrounds the outside of the pool legs may create a foothold, allowing a child access to the pool and posing a drowning risk, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Even with the ladder removed, children could still be able to gain access to the pool.
“These pools are being recalled because the design still allows small children to access the water using foot holds on the sides — even when the ladder is removed. Tragically, this flaw has led to 9 reported child deaths across the country,” Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek. “They now pose a serious drowning hazard and are being pulled from the market.”
So far, nine children between the ages of 22 months and 3 years old have drowned after gaining access to the pools via the footholds, the commission found.
The drownings happened in California, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin and Missouri between 2007 and 2022.
There were also at least three other incidents in 2011 and 2012 where children gained access to the pools due to the compression strap.
Affected consumers should contact Bestway, Intex and Polygroup to get a free repair kit to reverse the design flaw.
The pool models sized 48 inches and taller involved in the recall include: Power Steel, Steel Pro, Coleman Power Steel, Metal Frame Pools, Ultra Frame Pools, Prism Frame Pool, Ultra XTR Frame Pool, Summer Waves, Summer Escapes, Funsicle, Sand n Sun and Blue Wave.
The products have been sold at stores like Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Costco and Amazon since 2002.
What People Are Saying
Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: “There will absolutely be lawsuits and restitution paid to affected families. The core issue is that the pools were not supposed to be accessible to small children without a ladder — yet kids still found a way in. I don’t see this leading to bankruptcy, but the fallout will likely include a spike in insurance premiums and an increase in operational costs. Add to that the reputational hit, and the long-term impact on the brand could be significant.”
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: “While some consumers may ignore certain recalls, this is certainly one to take seriously. Bestway, Intex, and Polygroup are recalling certain above-ground pools that have been cited as presenting drowning risks. In fact, nine deaths have been reported due to this factor. These above-ground pools are very popular, with over 5 million having been sold.”
What Happens Next
If you purchased one of the impacted pools, you should immediately contact the brands for the repair kit to be delivered.
Delaying could cause unintended accidents and even drownings for consumers or their friends and family, Beene said.
“If you own one, take this recall seriously and reach out to one of the three companies for next steps on how to deal with this issue,” Beene said.
