CPSC, BRIO Announce Recall of Wooden Clown Toys to Replace Hats

November 6, 1997
Release # 98-024

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For Immediate Release;
Contact: Nychelle Fleming
(301) 504-0580 Ext. 1192

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), BRIO Corp. of Germantown, Wis., a subsidiary of BRIO AB of Sweden, is voluntarily replacing the hats on about 79,000 wooden clown toys. The hats present a potential choking hazard to young children.

BRIO has received one report of a 22-month-old child in Germany reportedly choking to death on the clown's hat. No other injuries or complaints have been reported.

The clown is a 9-inch high wooden stacking toy consisting of 12 brightly colored pieces, including the base. When all of the pieces are stacked in order, the toy resembles the figure of a clown with a yellow cone-shaped hat. The words, "BRIO...MADE IN SWEDEN" are stamped on the bottom of the toy's base. The toy is packaged in a red, white and yellow cardboard box. Pictures of the toy, model number 30130 and the words "BRIO...CLOWN" appear on the box.

Specialty stores and mail order catalogs nationwide sold the toy from 1977 through September 1997, most recently for about $19. BRIO clown toys currently being sold have the redesigned hat and are in boxes labeled, "CONTAINS NEW HAT DESIGN."

Consumers should take the clown's hat away from children immediately and send the hat to BRIO Corp., N120 W18485 Freistadt Road, Germantown, WI 53022. BRIO will send consumers a redesigned replacement hat and postage reimbursement. Consumers with questions should call BRIO toll-free at (888) 274-6869 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. CST Monday through Friday.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury and for information on CPSC's fax-on-demand service, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. To order a press release through fax-on-demand, call (301) 504-0051 from the handset of your fax machine and enter the release number.