CPSC Issues Warning After Reports Some Samsung Washing Machines Exploded

Thaxton Family/ABC News(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a warning about certain top-loading Samsung washing machines after reports that some had exploded, ABC News has learned exclusively.

The agency said it is working with Samsung on a remedy to fix the issue that apparently affects some units made between March 2011 and April 2016.

At first, Melissa Thaxton, 32, of Dallas, Ga. thought her Samsung washing machine was a lifesaver.

“It was just perfect,” Thaxton said.

But she says that changed on the morning of April 8, 2016. Thaxton says she was standing next to the running machine when it exploded.

“It was the loudest sound. It sounded like a bomb went off in my ear,” Thaxton said. “There were wires, nuts, the cover actual was laying on the floor.”

Thaxton says what made it even more frightening was that her then- 4-year-old son, Luke, was right next to her.

“I just remember covering my head and leaning towards my son and just screaming this scream that I didn’t even know I could scream,” she said.

In a similar case in Holly Springs, NC, Sarah Price, said her two-month-old top loading Samsung washing machine flew apart, too.

“Any one of us could’ve been in here,” Price said.

These aren’t the only cases.

GMA Investigates has learned that since early last year, 21 people have reported to the CPSC that their top-loading Samsung washing machines have exploded or blown apart.

Thaxton and several other plaintiffs are suing Samsung in federal court in New Jersey. Their lawyer, Jason Lichtman, argues that a support rod in the top-loading Samsung washing machine is insufficient to hold the tub in place and can become unfastened during the spin cycle.

“The rod can slide right out,” Lichtman said. “And that’s what causes the washing machine to blow apart.”

In a statement late yesterday Samsung told GMA Investigates: “In rare cases, affected units may experience abnormal vibrations that could pose a risk of personal injury or property damage when washing bedding, bulky or water-resistant items. It is important to note that Samsung customers have completed hundreds of millions of loads without incident since 2011.”

Until the remedy to this safety issue is in place, the CPSC and Samsung Wednesday are advising consumers to only use the delicate cycle when washing bedding and bulky items. They say the lower speed lessens the risk of impact injuries or property damage due to the washing machine becoming dislodged. Consumers can contact Samsung for more information and to determine if they have an affected washing machine.

Thaxton said that Samsung offered her a refund, but she said she’s taking it to court instead because she wants to warn other people about the problem.

“If that would have hit my child there is no telling. It would have been catastrophic,” Thaxton said. “And that’s why I’m speaking out.”

Copyright © 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.

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