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Furniture giant IKEA recalls drawers in North America after child deaths

Xinhua, June 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

IKEA is recalling 29 million chests and dressers in North America, following the deaths of at least three children who were crushed by the furniture when it tipped over.

The Swedish furniture giant said in a Tuesday statement that the recall affects children's chests and dressers taller than 23.5 inches and adult chests and dressers taller than 29.5 inches, which do not meet the performance requirements of the U.S. voluntary industry standard.

The company is offering consumers a full or partial refund on chests and dressers sold from 2002 through June 2016 for between 70 and 200 U.S. dollars.

In its recall summary, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission described the recalled furniture as unstable if they are not properly anchored to the wall, "posing a serious tip-over and entrapment hazard that can result in death or injuries to children."

In 2015, IKEA announced a repair program for the chests and dressers after two child fatalities occurred in 2014.

Pressure on the Swedish furniture retailer mounted this year following the death of a Minnesota toddler who was crushed when a dresser tipped over onto him this February. Endi