Safety warning on Ikea sliding doors

THE Swedish home furnishing giant Ikea is warning customers about a defect in one of its items, a heavy mirrored glass sliding door that can detach and fall.

A spokesperson for Ikea said that 250 of the doors have been sold in Ireland and about 66,000 of them sold worldwide.

Ikea has received more than 20 reports of Elga Fenstad sliding doors detaching since October 2010, with one person in the Netherlands needing three stitches to treat an injury sustained in July this year.

The spokesperson said these reports had come from customers in Britain, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany and Russia but stressed that no one in Ireland had been affected.

The sliding mirror doors from supplier 12650 were sold in stores between April 1, 2010 and November 2010.

The size of the sliding mirror door is 73cm by 196cm and the spokesperson said that investigations had started as soon as Ikea received initial reports that there was a problem with the product.

Customers with a sliding door from supplier 12650 only are being urged to contact Ikea customer service immediately on 1890 876707 to get advice on how they can receive a replacement door free of charge.

Doors produced by suppliers 18351 and 21209 are not affected and doors produced by supplier 12650 and date-stamped 1119 and onwards are safe to use.

Ikea has apologised to customers for any inconvenience caused and has stressed that no other wardrobe sliding doors are affected.