Updated! CBS 2 Investigators Expose Halloween Hazards – Faulty Flashlight Purchased At Chicago Area Target Stores Causes Fire In 3-Year-Old’s Bedroom

Note: The CPSC Recalled 610,000 of these items on 10-28-2009 (See New post on 10-12-2009)

Faulty Halloween Flashlights Pulled From Shelves

CHICAGO (CBS) ―

Hazardous Halloween flashlights have been pulled from Target stores after CBS 2 Investigator Dave Savini exposed the potential dangers of toys targeted for Trick-or-Treaters.

Brandi Pavoni of Midlothian says her 3-year-old daughter Emily was playing with a flashlight in the dark until she fell asleep.

Brandi says she turned it off and left it next to her daughter in the bed, but a few minutes later she ran to the room when she smelled something burning.

“It burned right through everything and it was smoking,” Brandi said.

A metal spring at the end of the handle got so hot it melted through the plastic and scorched the bed.

The flashlight was purchased from a bargain bin at the Target store in Crestwood.

The 2 Investigators also found another set of Halloween mini-flashlights displayed in the bargain bins of some Target stores, even though they also allegedly started to burn and smoke, according to a report on a consumer website walletpop.com.

After CBS 2’s report, an investigator was sent to Brandi Pavoni’s home.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission looked into the safety of the Halloween flashlights.

Target has since pulled the hazardous flashlight and the set of mini-fashlights from store shelves nationwide.