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Green Mountain Vista Recalls Blinds after Near-Strangulation

November 20, 2008
Green Mountain Vista Inc. is recalling about 7,300 window blinds after a 2-year-old girl nearly strangled on a loose cord. The recall is for black-out roller shades and insulated Roman shades. IKEA is also recalling Roman blinds after a one-year-old child died in a strangulation incident.

Federal safety regulators said they received a report of a 2-year-old girl from Bristol, Conn., who suffered a near strangulation last June, when she placed a loose bead cord loop around her neck and then slipped off the radiator where she was standing. Her 5-year-old brother lifted his sister, who was gasping for air, from the cord entanglement. She vomited and had deep neck bruising, but has since recovered from her injuries.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reminds consumers to examine all Roman Blinds and shades in their homes. If looped pull cords are present or exposed inner cords are found on the back of blinds or shades and children are in the home or occasionally visit your home, please consider replacing them with blinds or shades that do not have exposed pull cords or inner cords.

The black-out roller shades and insulated Roman shades have a continuous looped bead chain that when not attached to the wall or floor, hangs loosely by the blind, posing a fatal strangulation hazard to children.

This recall includes all insulated black-out roller shades (colors: white, cream, harvest, light sage) and insulated Roman shades sizes 48, 60 and 72 (colors: white, natural, sage, sienna, blue, goldenrod, mahogany, terracotta). The shades have RN number 107875 printed on the care label of the shade and identify the manufacturer on the 'Installation and Care Instructions.'

The blinds were sold at Country Curtains, Plow & Hearth, The Linen Source, Sturbridge Yankee Workshop, Ann & Hope, The Sportsman's Guide, Target.com, The Curtain Shop of Maine, and Solutions Catalog. Sold nationwide from June 2005 through September 2008 for between $60 and $200. They were made in China.

Consumers should immediately check their window coverings to see if the tension device is attached. If not attached, immediately stop using the window coverings and contact Green Mountain Vista Inc. to receive a free repair kit. If the consumer is not able to install the tensioning device, contact Green Mountain Vista for further instructions.

For additional information, contact Green Mountain Vista at (800) 639- 1728 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.gmvista.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

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