Building sets recalled after child's death
Toys 'R' Us has begun a voluntary recall of a magnetic building set following reports in the US that a child died and four were admitted to hospital after accidentally swallowing the enclosed magnets.
The toy chain said yesterday it had stopped selling Magnetix building sets. The sets, made in China, carry warnings that they are not suitable for children under three as they contain small parts.
'We have recalled all sets of the product from our store shelves. If customers return the products to us, we will give them a full refund,' a spokesman for Toy 'R' Us said.
The Customs and Excise Department said it was looking into the matter and would send its officers to check if the toy concerned was being sold at street level.
The recall came after similar action by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in the US following 34 reports of children swallowing the magnets, including one death and four serious injuries.
A 20-month-old boy died after swallowing magnets which caused a blockage in his small intestine. Three were admitted to intensive care after similar incidents, while a five-year-old boy had two magnets removed from his lung.
