HP recalls about 679,000 Digital Cameras over Fire concern

World’s largest information technology corporations Hewlett-Packard Co. is recalling about 679,000 digital cameras globally because non-rechargeable batteries can overheat when connected to a power supply.

Commonly known as HP, the American Company issued the recall after it received one report of one Photosmart R707 overheating and catching fire while being used with non-rechargeable batteries, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said Tuesday.

Of the 679,000 cameras sold worldwide, about 224,000 R707 digital cameras have been sold in the United States. The affected models were sold from August 2004 to April 2006 and retailed for $ 250 to $ 400.

When linking the camera to an AC adapter or docking station, non-rechargeable batteries are having a charge which triggers them to overheat which could lead to a possible fire.

According to a statement released by the CPSC, “The digital camera can cause certain non-rechargeable batteries, such as the Duracell CP-1, to overheat when the camera is connected to an AC adapter or docking station, posing a fire hazard.”

However, no injuries have been reported so far, still HP has issued the recall for digital cameras due to a possible fire hazard.

Consumers should immediately stop using the camera and contact HP to obtain a free software upgrade that stops the camera from trying to charge a non-rechargeable battery, the CPSC said.
The R707 camera contains firmware that controls the battery charging functions. The firmware provided with all R707 cameras is affected by this recall. Customers can download a firmware update to address overcharging concerns.

More information on the recall is available at http://www.hp.com/go/r707safetyupdate or by calling U.S. toll free contact phone number 1-866-304-7117, 6AM - 6PM MST, Monday through Friday.