CONSUMER PANEL URGES GUARDS TO CUT FIRE RISK OF FLOOR LAMPS.

Byline: Knight-Ridder Tribune News Wire

Super-hot halogen floor lamps have caused at least 189 fires and 11 deaths nationwide, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday as it announced a plan to distribute free protective bulb-guards to lamp owners nationwide.

Prized for the sunlight-bright light they cast, halogen bulbs burn hotter than most stove tops, at up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit or more, the CPSC said. In laboratory tests, cotton gauze thrown across the torchier-style lamps incinerated in seconds.

Until recently, they've been hot sellers, too, with 40 million of the low-cost lamps brightening homes, offices and dormitories since hitting the market in 1983. In the past six months, however, manufacturers said sales have fallen by about 25 percent, and several colleges have banned them from student housing because of the fire hazard.

The torchier lamps typically stand 6 feet tall and throw light upon the ceiling with an upturned, bowl-shaped shade. Top-heavy, they can tumble over easily.

The solution is to make sure only 300-watt bulbs or less are used with the lamps, and to cover them with a glass or metal screen, so that combustible materials don't touch the bulb, said the CPSCs compliance assistant, Alan Schoem.

Consumers can obtain the free wire guards in two ways: Beginning on Monday, they'll be available at any of 12 retailers nationwide, including Home Depot, Office Depot, Kmart, Target, Montgomery Ward, Lowes, Hechingers/Home Quarters, Ikea and Wal-Mart, the CPSC said.

Or, consumers can order them by calling [phone].