Samsung customers say they are angry that fire authorities have rejected their request for a state coronial inquiry into what they claim is a botched washing machine recall.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Three years into Samsung's recall of six top-loader models, more than 37,000 units haven't been remedied yet. Some repaired machines have malfunctioned, including three reported fires.
Two Sydney women urged Fire and Rescue NSW last month to use its powers to have the State Coroner investigate Samsung's execution of the country's biggest recall.
But Assistant Commissioner Mark Whybro has decided against the move, saying the number of incidents was declining and the recall response rate was "greater than usually expected".
"A significant manufacturer recall program is in place ... and the small number of fires in repaired machines – [we're] aware of three [in NSW] – may have been caused by incorrect repair procedures by contractors," he said.
"A referral to the coroner remains an option should the current situation change."
Samsung's latest figures show 74 per cent of the 144,451 machines with the major waterproofing fault have been remedied. Of those, more than half have been repaired with the controversial "plastic tape and bag" fix, while the rest have either been replaced or refunded.
Fire and Rescue has responded to 49 fires in NSW in the past 3.5 years.
Nationally, there have been 27 post-rework incidents, such as overheating, melting and burning.
Tarnya Allen and Di Fisher – founders of a 2700-member strong Facebook group of affected machine owners – said the rejection of their inquiry request was a "slap in the face".
"There needs to be a transparent investigation into the failure of the recall and the decision prevents the chance for lessons to be learned," said Ms Allen, an investment banker from Seven Hills.
"A transparent investigation can only help future recall processes."
Under NSW laws, the Fire Commissioner can request the State Coroner to hold a mandatory public inquiry into specific fires and explosions, even if there are no deaths.
A spokeswoman for the State Coroner said there had been no mandatory public fire inquiries since Michael Barnes took the top job two years ago.
"Product recalls such as the Samsung one are normally investigated by Fair Trading. There have been no product recalls referred to the Coroner's Court over the past two years," she said.
Fair Trading, the authority overseeing the national recall, approved the plastic-bag-and-tape rework, which one expert deemed "deficient".
A Samsung spokesperson declined to directly comment on the State Coroner matter, instead saying safety of customers is its number one priority.
In March, Samsung announced it would implement a new, multi-pronged strategy to prevent further fires and other incidents. It admitted to making mistakes, such as being slow to refund and replace machines.
The strategy includes deploying 30 specially trained engineers to reassess 32,000 repaired machines to make sure the "fire-retardant, industry-standard polyethylene bag" has been securely fastened with tape.
In January, Fairfax Media revealed a blaze at an Only About Children childcare centre in Coogee was caused by a recalled Samsung washing machine that had not been repaired. Twenty-two adults and 78 children were evacuated.
Samsung urges consumers who may be affected by the recall to visit samsung.com/au/washingmachinerecall or call 1800 239 655.
The following models are impacted:
SW75V9WIP/XSA
SW65V9WIP/XSA
SW70SPWIP/XSA
SW80SPWIP/XSA
WA85GWGIP/XSA
WA85GWWIP/XSA
