Justice Department seeks recall of Amazon-sold immersion water heaters

The Justice Department is seeking to force two Chinese companies to recall HAIYEATBNB electric immersion water heaters sold on Amazon.com, after federal regulators warned the devices can overheat, melt or catch fire. The heaters are used in bathtubs and pools, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission says they pose fire and burn hazards and a risk of serious injury or death.

Anyone who bought a HAIYEATBNB unit should stop using it immediately and look for the brand name on the heater or in the Amazon listing. A separate account said the products had caused 31 fires, a figure that shows how quickly a cheap household device can become a serious safety threat.

The case fits into a broader federal push against companies that fail to report dangerous consumer products fast enough. Prosecutors have previously pursued defective dehumidifiers tied to more than 450 fires, and Goodman Company L.P. agreed to pay a $5.55 million civil penalty after allegations that it delayed warning the Consumer Product Safety Commission about a fire risk and misrepresented the number of fires.

Immersion heaters have drawn federal scrutiny before. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled ToolGuards portable water immersion heaters on March 17, 2022, warning that they could overheat, melt or catch fire and create shock, electrocution and fire hazards. The agency also maintains a dedicated electric water heaters recall page, reflecting repeated problems in a product category that keeps resurfacing through online sales channels.

The current action shows the limits of policing dangerous imports once they are sold through major marketplaces. A product can move from an overseas manufacturer to a U.S. shopper’s bathtub or pool with little friction, while regulators are left trying to pull it back after warnings, fires and injuries pile up.