Thousands of Toro snowblowers and mowers recalled: government

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Landscape maintenance equipment company Toro is voluntarily recalling thousands of its snowblowers and mowers due to a fire risk, the U.S. and Canadian governments said on Tuesday.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada said in a joint statement that the carburetors on about 23,000 Toro Power Clear Snowblowers and 6,200 Toro 20" Recycler Mowers may develop fuel leaks and can ignite when exposed to an ignition source, posing a fire or burn hazard to consumers.

There have been about 500 reports of carburetor leaks. However, none of those incidents involved fire or injury, the CPSC said.

The recall includes Toro Snowblowers with model numbers 38588 and 38589 and Recycler Mower with model number 20323.

The small machines were sold at Toro dealers in the United States and Canada from September 2009 until March 2011.

Consumers should stop using the snowblowers and mowers immediately and contact Toro service dealer for a free repair, the statement said.

(Reporting by Wendell Marsh; Editing by Jerry Norton)