According to CNN, Samsung has announced a recall of about 660,000 washing machines across the United States because they may short-circuit or overheat during operation, posing a risk of fire.
Samsung received 51 reports of “washing machines smoking, melting, overheating or catching fire,” the report said. Ten of those reports resulted in property damage and three customers reported injuries from smoke inhalation.
A variety of Samsung’s ultra-high-speed front-loading washing machines are affected, including models: WA49B, WA50B, WA51A, WA52A, WA54A, and WA55A. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the serial number range of the 14 recalled models.
From June 2021 to December 2022, the 663,500 washing machines were sold at major retailers including Best Buy, Costco, Home Depot and Lowe’s for between $900 and $1,500.
The official website of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission shows that software updates can solve fire hazards. “Consumers should immediately check whether the software of the washing machine has been updated to prevent harm; if not, consumers should immediately stop using the washing machine until the software update is pushed.”
All Wi-Fi-equipped washing machines are expected to automatically download the free software fix when connected to the internet, Samsung said. Users without internet can get a free adapter from Samsung to plug into the washing machine and download a free software fix.
