Victorian couple Adele and Alex Rae say they were exposed to a 'really strong' chemical smell coming from their Samsung fridge, which caused Ms Rae to collapse. They've been offered a refund on the condition they never talk about it again.
A rural Victorian family say they had to evacuate their home and throw out food after smelling vapour seeping from their refrigerator.
The couple from Paradise Beach in Gippsland say they quickly identified the source of the smell — their Samsung refrigerator, which was bought four years earlier from JB Hi-Fi.She said she had to hold her breath to empty the fridge of food, which the couple felt had to be thrown away. "We felt like we were being gaslighted that nothing was wrong, and the kids had been on the front lawn for four hours, with my youngest needing a nap."She said she took a shower but collapsed, unable to stand, with her smart watch telling her her heart rate was 160bpm and rising.
Mr Rae sourced a refrigeration mechanic familiar with Samsung fridges to inspect the appliance — with Mr Rae saying he had been told online by an anonymous person to take a panel off to find the problem. Samsung's own compliance tool, used by retailers to check that stock complies with Australian standards, lists the model as being one that should be prioritised for sale because it could be non-compliant.
The document also had a non-disclosure condition stating that the Raes could not tell anyone in the media or on social media about what had happened. Mr Rae disputes the claims by the company of "multiple attempts", and said he has only ever received one phone call from Samsung.Erin Turner, chief executive officer of the Consumer Policy Research Centre, said she found the content of Samsung's deed of settlement and release sent to the Raes to be troubling.
"The deed gives Samsung all rights but they take no responsibility for what happened and no responsibility for what happens in the future — it's really one-sided." He said that in contrast to older refrigerators, newer models have pipes with thinner walls, making them more prone to leakages.The Rae family has now taken swabs from different parts of the fridge to have them tested in the hope of finding out what they might have been exposed to.
Refrigerator Gas Inhalation Emergency Fridge Jb Hi-Fi
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