UPDATE: 4 other children have died after having an IKEA MALM chest of drawers fall on them.
IKEA received 2 reports of a child being killed by a MALM chest that tipped over:
- In February, 2014, a 2-year-old boy from West Chester, Pennsylvania died after a MALM 6-drawer chest (48 ⅜ inches high) tipped over and fatally pinned him against his bed, according to one report.
- In June 2014, a 23-month old child from Snohomish, Washington died after he became trapped beneath a 3-drawer (30 ¾ inches high) MALM chest that tipped over.
Neither chest had been secured to the wall. These deaths prompted a repair program that includes a free wall anchoring kit for certain chests and dressers, including:
- About 7 million MALM 3- and 4-drawer chests and two styles of MALM 6- drawer chests; and
- About 20 million other IKEA chests and dressers (children’s chests and dressers taller than 23 ½ inches and adult chests and dressers taller than 29 ½ inches).
The kit contains replacement tip-over restraints for use by any consumer who has not secured their IKEA chest or dresser to the wall. The kit also includes complete wall anchoring hardware, instructions and warning labels to be affixed to the furniture.
The chests and dressers can pose a tip-over hazard if not securely anchored to the wall.
The free wall anchoring kit should be used to secure MALM and other IKEA chests and dressers to the wall. To receive a free wall anchoring kit, visit an IKEA retail store, go to www.IKEA-USA.com/saferhomestogether, or call (888) 966-4532.
Consumers should immediately stop using all IKEA children’s chests and dressers taller than 23 ½ inches and adult chests and dressers taller than 29 ½ inches, unless they are securely anchored to the wall.
CPSC and IKEA are urging consumers to inspect their IKEA chests and dressers to ensure that they are securely anchored to the wall. Consumers should move unanchored chests and dressers into storage or other areas where they cannot be accessed by children until the chests and dressers are properly anchored to the wall.
A child dies every two weeks and a child is injured every 24 minutes in the U.S. from furniture or TVs tipping over, according to CPSC data. To help prevent injuries and deaths, CPSC and IKEA urge consumers to securely anchor furniture and TVs to prevent these tragedies and make their home a safer place. For more information, visit www.AnchorIt.gov and www.IKEA-USA.com/saferhomestogether.