CPSC Says Stop Using Fire Extinguishing Balls Because They Don’t Work

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is telling consumers to immediately stop using Elide Fire Extinguishing Balls, a product that claims to activate automatically in case of a fire and release fire retardant chemicals to put it out.

In a news release on Thursday, the CPSC said the use of the Elide Fire Extinguishing Balls can lead to burns, smoke inhalation, serious injury, and death because the products can fail to put out fires. As explained by the CPSC, the problem with the product is that the balls can fail in the event of a fire. In addition, the agency points out that the product lacks other useful features, such as a pressure gauge and a locking device to reduce the risk of accidental discharge.

“CPSC urges consumers not to purchase or sell these fire extinguishing balls,” the agency stated. “Consumers should stop using and dispose of these products at either a local fire department or a hazardous waste disposal facility.”

The agency’s warning applies to all three of the Elide Fire’s models of fire extinguishing balls, which vary in color (red or blue), weight, and size and typically sell for between $95 and $120. While Elide Fire states that its products meet European certification standards, the CPSC stated that it did not meet the UL 299 Dry Chemical Fire Extinguishers standard and the UL 711 Rating and Fire Testing of Fire Extinguishers, which are both voluntary safety standards.

The agency recommended that consumers only purchase fire extinguishers that meet UL 299 and UL711 standards.

On its website, Elide Fire, a Thailand-based company, does at times imply that its fire extinguishing balls are superior to extinguisher tanks and fire sprinkler systems, though the company also points out that its fire extinguishing balls should be used in conjunction with traditional firefighting equipment.

Elide Fire has denied the CPSC’s request to recall the fire extinguishing balls or offer a remedy to consumers, the agency said. Elide Fire did not immediately respond to Gizmodo’s request for comment on Thursday.

Chuck Thompson, a spokesperson for E Fire USA, a U.S. company that sells the same patented ball as the Elide Fire product, told Gizmodo in an email that the company “strongly disagree[d] with the CPSC release.” E Fire USA’s product is called the “E-Fire Ball.” And while the company originally worked with Elide Fire when it brought the product into the U.S., it ended its professional relationship with the Thai company over a year ago.

Although E Fire USA’s products are not named in the CPSC’s release, Thompson said the company is worried about “the misinformation [about] an innovative product like the Fire Ball.” Thompson said the CPSC’s warning was unfair because products like the Fire Ball were not fire extinguishers and thus should not be tested against standards created for them.

“We are trying to bring additional tools to help fight fire so anytime something like this happens it slows the industry in moving forward with new and innovative solutions,” Thompson said. “We would never tell anyone to replace their fire extinguishers or get rid of systems, more is needed. There is never enough fire protection.”