HSN failed to report dangerous defect in 5.4 million steamers

HSN, formerly known as Home Shopping Network, will pay a $16 million fine for waiting years to disclose a dangerous defect in millions of clothes steamers despite receiving reports of dozens of injuries and numerous customer complaints, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced on Wednesday.

The St. Petersburg, Florida-based company agreed to settle charges that it failed to immediately report to the CPSC that 5.4 million Joy Mangano-brand "My Little Steamer" and "My Little Steamer Go Mini" products were defective and posed an "unreasonable risk of serious injury," the agency stated. 

By the end of 2012 and continuing into 2019, HSN had received enough information to know the products were unsafe, according to safety regulators. By the time HSN filed an initial report, it had received about 400 complaints of the steamers spraying hot water, another 700 reports of leaks, at least 91 reports of injury and 29 insurance claims alleging serious injuries, including burns, scarring and partial hearing loss, the CPSC said.