Ikea offers free repair kit for drawers after two children were killed

Ikea is giving away free repair kits for certain types of dressers and drawers — after two children were killed in separate incidents involving drawers that fell on top of them.

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In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Ikea is proving free anchoring kits to 27 million people who purchased qualifying dressers or chests of drawers. The repair program includes children’s drawers taller than 23 1/2 inches and adult dressers and chests taller than 29 1/2 inches. The CPSC says consumers should stop using these pieces immediately, until they are securely anchored to the wall.

The safety hazard

According to the CPSC, in February 2014, a 2-year-old Pennsylvania boy died after a MALM 6-drawer chest (48 3/8 inches high) fell over and pinned him against his bed. Then in June 2014, a 23-month-old child from Washington died after he was trapped under a 3-drawer (30 ¾ inches high) MALM chest that tipped over.

In both cases, the chest had not been securely anchored to the wall.

According to a statement from the CPSC, there have also been 14 other reports of incidents involving MALM chests that tipped over, resulting in four injuries. 

The repair kit

This is not a recall — the furniture came with anchoring kits. But after two deaths of children, Ikea is providing customers with new free kits — that include replacement pieces — to ensure that any potentially hazardous products can be secured.

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The free repair kit is being offered to anyone who purchased a qualified dresser or chest of drawers. The kit includes replacement tip-over restraints that allow you to secure the chest or dresser to the wall, complete wall-anchoring hardware, instructions and warning labels to place on the furniture.