Galanz recalls 121,000 retro refrigerators after 34 fires, 1 death

A retro refrigerator is supposed to add style to a kitchen, not create a serious fire risk. But Galanz is now recalling more than 121,000 of its retro-style top-freezer refrigerators after dozens of reported fires and one death were linked to the appliances.

What happened?

About 121,680 Galanz refrigerators sold in the U.S. are being recalled because, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), internal electrical components in the units can short-circuit, ignite, and pose fire and burn hazards.

Home Depot stores across the country and Amazon sold the affected refrigerators between January 2019 and September 2022, according to Consumer Reports, citing the CPSC.

So far, the CPSC says it has logged 34 reports of fires involving the refrigerators, including one deadly incident.

Included in the recall are five Galanz retro-style top-freezer models sold in black, blue, red, and white: BCD-215V-62H, GLR76TRDER, GLR76TBKER, GLR76TBEER, and GLR76TWEER. The affected date codes run from December 2018 through December 2020.

Why does it matter?

Refrigerators are among the few household appliances people expect to run continuously, often unattended, day and night. Because it's running all the time, there's no knowing when a fire could spark, and if it short-circuits in the middle of the night, it may be too late to get out by the time you notice. 

A refrigerator fire can damage a kitchen, waste food, force families out of their homes, raise insurance costs, and in the worst cases cause severe injuries or death.

What can I do?

Don't leave one of these Galanz refrigerators running while you figure out whether it is part of the recall; the CPSC says owners should unplug the unit and stop using it immediately.

To find out whether your refrigerator is affected, check the nameplate on the back of the unit in the upper-left corner for the model number and date code. The date code uses the YYYYMM format, and Galanz is providing a free in-home repair for matching models and date codes.

For service, consumers can contact Galanz Americas at 888-462-0579 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday, email customerservice@galanzamericas.com, or use the company's recall website to register. The recall number is 26-649.

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