Electric Bed Warning

FDA issues warning over potential fire hazard from electric beds.
The AP (1/5) reports, "Federal health regulators have issued a warning to Invacare Corp. for failing to report and address malfunctions with its electric beds, including electronics that allegedly caught on fire causing injury and death." The Food and Drug Administration said "the company has repeatedly failed to document and investigate recurring complaints with its adjustable beds. Between April and July last year, the company received four complaints involving sparks or fires that were reportedly triggered by its beds." Invacare said Tuesday "that the company has assembled a team of quality control specialists to work on the problems."
Bloomberg News (1/5, Peterson) reports, "One complaint alleged that an 11-year-old child died after becoming trapped by an Invacare bed rail. Another patient died after one of the company's beds caught fire, according to the agency." And, "two other patients were taken to the hospital and treated for smoke inhalation and chest pain after the control box of an Invacare bed caught fire, the FDA said." The Wall Street Journal /Dow Jones Newswire (1/5, Dooren, subscription required) also reports the story.