Overview
- On July 22, 2026 the Justice Department, filing on behalf of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, sued two China-based companies to force a mandatory recall of Lakkzoom-branded immersion water heaters.
- The complaint says about 98,000 units were distributed in the United States and that the CPSC has received roughly 235 fire-related reports tied to the heaters.
- CPSC testing cited in the lawsuit found units can overheat and catch fire within minutes when energized completely or partially out of water, and the complaint says the heaters lack automatic shutoff features found on safer models.
- The agency invoked Section 12 imminent-hazard authority—its first use of that power since 1987—to seek expedited court orders, while the complaint treats the claims as allegations the government must prove.
- CPSC has urged consumers to stop using the heaters, provided reporting resources at SaferProducts.gov and a hotline, and federal officials warned that imported items may remain in commerce despite a court order until enforcement and removal are carried out.