Amazon Recalls Kindle Chargers Over Electric Shock Risk

Those who bought a Kindle Fire 7” or Fire Kids Edition 7” in the UK and Ireland since September could be at risk, the retailer said.

It said the power adapters could detach from the charger in some cases, creating a risk of electric shock when they are pulled out of a wall socket. A spokesman declined to say how many cases of faulty plugs had occurred except to say there had only been “rare cases” of an electrocution risk arising.

A spokesman said that Amazon “wanted to proactively reach out to customers out of an abundance of caution”.

The Kindle Fire 7”, thanks to its £50 price tag, is one of the most popular tablets on the market. Amazon says it has sold millions of them since its launch in September, and that it was the fastest selling Amazon tablet ever. It was also the top-selling item on Amazon during Black Friday, the company has said.

Amazon is recalling all power adapters with the “FABK7B” lettering on the plug. Other models have not been affected.

Amazon has recommended that anyone with the charger exchange it instantly, either with a free replacement or a £12 credit.