Dozens of households across Donegal could still be using defective gas cookers which have already claimed the lives of two Glenties women.
Annie Gallagher, 84, and Sarah McDyer, 79, died when they were poisoned by carbon monoxide which leaked from Ms Gallagher’s Flavel cooker at her home.
The neighbours and friends were chatting when they were overcome by fumes on September 24th, 2009.
A subsequent inquest into the women’s deaths in December last year recommended a full action plan be implemented to recall all of the cookers.
The National Consumer Agency, in its annual report yesterday, warned that some 1,300 such cookers were STILL unaccounted for.
The body’s annual report for 2011, published yesterday, expressed concern that 1,300 cookers were still unaccounted for, despite four safety alerts since 2009.
Certain models of Beko, Flavel, Leisure, and New World gas cookers were affected and consumers could avail of a free refit.
But according to the NCA annual report: “By the end of 2011, up to 1,300 of the cookers are still unaccounted for and can pose a danger if their grill is used with the door closed, resulting in high levels of carbon monoxide building up due to the “incomplete combustion” of the gas.
“While some of these unaccounted-for cookers have been scrapped, it is likely that there are a considerable number continuing to be used.”
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