Getting Answers: air dryer recall and fire safety

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Two million air fryers are being recalled due to faulty wires causing them to catch fire.

Even if your air fryer is not among them, there are still ways it can become a fire hazard. Western Mass News is getting answers from the West Springfield Police Department which recently responded to a fire started by that popular kitchen appliance.

Certain Cosori air fryers are being recalled after more than 200 reports of them catching fire, burning, melting, overheating and smoking. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is urging people to immediately stop using the products, which have a wire connection that’s prone to overheating.

A recent fire in West Springfield has been linked to an air fryer. However, we do not know yet if it was part of the recall. West Springfield Fire Lieutenant Tony Spear told Western Mass News that the air fryer was left unattended on a stove.

“It was on the lowest setting, and the air fryer itself didn’t shut off automatically, which contributed to the starting,” he explained.

He added that an air fryer should only be used on the countertop and unplugged when you are not using it.

“One place that you don’t want to keep it is on the stove because you have the burners there,” Lt. Spear said. “So, if the burners activate or the burners kick on or stay on, that could ignite the fryer itself or other things around it.”

He also told us that an air fryer should be treated like an oven—it should never be left unattended.

“Anything that creates heat, is going to cook something, could pose a hazard, so just make sure if you’re going to use it, stay with it, stay with it inside, and make sure you keep track of when it’s on and off,” he said.

Lt. Spear told us that smoke detectors alerted firefighters to the air fryer fire in his community and they were able to put it out before it caused too much damage.

The Cosori air fryers were sold in stores and online between June 2018 and December 2022 at Best Buy, Target, and Walmart. If you think you have one, go HERE.

Copyright 2023. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.