December 20, 2001

LTD Commodities Inc. Announces Recall of Snowman Holiday Porcelain Lanterns

LTD Commodities Inc., of Bannockburn, Ill., is voluntarily recalling about 33,000 Snowman Holiday Porcelain Lanterns. These snowman lanterns can crack or catch fire due to excessive heat from the tealight candles, which poses a risk of injury to consumers. LTD Commodities has received 18 reports of the snowman lanterns cracking or catching on fire, including one consumer who suffered a burn to her finger.

The recalled Holiday Porcelain Votive Lanterns are shaped like a snowman and have a white body; brown, tree-limb-like arms; an orange nose; and a black hat. A votive tealight candle illuminates the snowman from inside, which can be seen through holes in the body, the face, and hat. The lanterns have a product code number of HVO-MAN 102723-01, and have a label on the bottom of the snowman that reads in part, "WARNING: This item becomes extremely hot during use" and "MADE IN CHINA." LTD Commodities sold these lanterns through their mail-order catalogs between September 2001 and November 2001 for about $4.

Consumers should stop using these lanterns immediately and contact LTD Commodities toll-free at (866) 736-3654 between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. CT Monday through Friday for information about returning the product for a full refund.