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As winter storms blow across the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern U.S., and as Texas digs out from its surprise arctic blast, snowblowers are indispensable tools in many homes. But Toro, the Minnesota-based landscaping equipment giant, is warning owners that a newer one of its models could pose an “amputation hazard.”
Working with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the company is recalling the 2021 Toro Power Max 826 OHAE Snowthrowers—specifically, those with the model number 37802. The company has received five reports to date of the machine’s auger—the spinning part that pulls snow inside—failing to disengage after a person releases the device’s control lever. There have been no reports of injuries.
Sticking one’s hand inside the chute of a snowblower is, generally, a bad idea. But chutes can become clogged, and people sometimes try to manually dislodge obstructions. If an auger is still running when someone thinks it has stopped, serious injuries could result.
The recalled snowblower has been sold since last November at Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and other Toro-authorized dealers at a retail price of roughly $1,200. The company says it believes about 6,700 units are affected by the recall.
The company says customers who own one should immediately stop using it and contact a Toro authorized dealer for a free repair. That could be challenging for many people right now though.
Six to 12 inches of snow are expected today along the mid-Atlantic, from parts of Virginia to southern Pennsylvania. The Northeast, meanwhile, is expecting three to six inches. And ice accumulations of up to three-quarters of an inch could run from North Carolina to southern Virginia.
Parts of Texas, meanwhile, are still seeing snow and ice after this week’s winter storms.
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