The government is warning people to immediately stop using a fire-extinguishing device shaped like a ball. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says Elide fire-extinguishing balls can fail to extinguish a fire, leaving people at risk of injury and death.
However, the CPSC says Elide Fire USA has not agreed to recall the balls or help customers with a fix for the products. According to Elide Fire's website, the ball activates by itself within seconds of flames touching it. The ball breaks open and dispenses a dry chemical to extinguish a fire.
The CPSC says the products can fail to effectively disperse the chemicals and fail to put out fires. It says the balls do not have a pressure gauge or pressure indicator, a locking device to reduce unintentional discharge, or a nozzle to direct the discharge.