Gas Stove Knob Fire Hazard: Are You at Risk?

Appliances are part of every day life in a home – refrigerators, dishwashers and electric or gas stoves. But occasionally one of these items may be faulty, and a danger.  A gas stove knob fire can occur if a knob accidentally turns a burner on – and leaking gas can lead to a fire, property damage, and potential injuries.

How Do Gas Stoves Work?

Gas stoves are a fixture in homes all across the country. Although electric stoves have been developed, many homeowners and cooks swear by gas stoves for their superior temperature control.

Gas stoves work by directing gas to the burner and using an electric ignition or standing pilot. A standing pilot light utilizes a small, continuously burning flame between the front and back burners to ignite burners. More common are electric ignitions which use a spark to ignite burners.

Stoves with electric ignitions must use gas protection mechanisms or a control breaker to avoid gas leaks. However, a defective stove knob may lead to unexpected gas leaks despite these controls.

Can A Gas Stove Knob Accidentally Turn On?

If a gas stove knob is accidentally bumped by a passing person, it may ignite the burner. However, some stoves reportedly have overly sensitive stove knobs which can be easily turned on.

Several owners of LG stoves have complained of this exact issue. According to these homeowners, front knobs on these stoves can turn on even if bumped lightly – leaking gas and even starting fires. The reality of this issue is reportedly frightening to consumers who worry for the health of themselves and their families.

According to Action 9, over 30 reports of this issue have been filed with the Consumer Product Safety Commission – the leading authority on consumer products. If a product is found to be unsafe through complaints or independent investigation, like a pressure cooker or an oven, the CPSC can order a recall of the products.

LG reportedly responded to these claims with basically the same response, assuring the CPSC that LG manufactures this gas range to meet or exceed all relevant standards” and “LG takes very seriously the concerns of our customers and uses such feedback on an on-going basis to evaluate and improve our products.”

In addition to filing complaints with the CPSC, some consumers have taken to online forums like Consumer Reports to voice their concerns over this issue in LG stoves.

One review says that the gas burners on his LG double oven and 5 burner stove with even the least amount of pressure. Although the homeowner tried to solve the problem himself, his review noted that it was only “a matter of time” before the issue would lead to clothing and other items catching on fire. Another reviewer reported coming home to find her house full of gas due to the stove knobs being brushed as she left her house.

Many reviews on Consumer Reports note that LG doesn’t have a fix for this issue – leaving homeowners to struggle with the risk of a gas leak and gas stove knob fire.

This is also not the first issue with LG products. The company just closed a $1.5 million LG refrigerator class action settlement to resolve claims that their covered refrigerators suffer a cooling defect.

Have Gas Stoves Been Recalled?

Although no recalls have been announced in connection to reports of gas stove knob fires, stoves have been the subject of recalls for similar issues in the past.

In 2012, LG Electronics recalled over 160,000 of their smooth-top electric ranges due to burners which failed to turn off or increased temperature unexpectedly. The company reportedly received 80 reports of this electric range issue, although no fires or injuries were reported. Affected ranges were sold Best Buy, Home Depot, Sears and other appliance retailers between January 2006 and June 2012.

Can I File a Gas Stove Knob Fire Lawsuit?

Fires from stovetops can lead to significant property damage and injuries. If a stove burner accidentally turns on, it can quickly catch nearby items on fire – including clothing on nearby people.

According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), cooktops accidentally turning on or not turning off caused 8% of the average 172,900 cooking fire incidents each year from 2014 to 2018. Over a quarter of home cooking fire deaths were people who were sleeping at the time of the fires. Over half of related injuries were reportedly caused by people trying to control or put out the fire by themselves.

Even if a fire isn’t started, a leak of natural gas could be dangerous. Although nature gas isn’t toxic when inhaled, it displaces oxygen which can lead to a asphyxiation – a large danger to unaware, sleeping homeowners.

If your home was damaged or if you sustained injuries due to a gas stove knob fire, you may be able to take legal action. Even if you caught the issue with your gas stove knob before an accident or injury, you may still qualify.