The US government issued an urgent warning on Saturday telling consumers to stop using the Peloton Tread + after “dozens of incidents involving children being sucked under the treadmill.”
The warning came a month after the New York-based fitness equipment company with an almost cultic customer base acknowledged that a child died in a treadmill incident.
Platoon CEO John Foley called the incident “tragic” and said the company was “aware of only a small handful of incidents involving the Tread + that injured children.”
But the Consumer Product Safety Commission said it was aware of 39 incidents, including death, on Saturday.
“CPSC staff believe the Platoon Tread + poses serious risks to children from abrasions, fractures and death,” the agency said in its warning, posted on Twitter and its website. “In light of multiple reports of children becoming trapped, trapped and pulled under the rear roll of the product, CPSC is urging consumers with children at home to immediately discontinue use of the product.”
The release featured a poignant video showing two toddlers playing on a treadmill, one being pulled under the machine as they try to play with a ball caught underneath.
A separate report of a pet being sucked under the Tread +, along with inanimate objects being pulled underneath, “also suggests that the user could potentially be injured if the user loses balance,” the CPSC said.
Consumers who plan to continue using the machines should keep them in an enclosed area, away from children and pets, unplug them when not in use, and keep all other items away from them, CPSC said.
In a statement, Peloton called CPSC’s guidelines a “misleading, inaccurate bulletin” and the agency “falsely described Peloton’s efforts to cooperate and correct inaccuracies in CPSC’s press release as an attempt to elaborate. set. “
“This couldn’t be further from the truth,” the statement said, adding that it intended to make a joint announcement with the CPSC “about the danger of not following the warnings and safety instructions that come with the Tread +” and the CEO asked to meet with the agency.
“Peloton is disappointed that, despite its offer of collaboration and the Tread + complying with all applicable safety standards, CPSC was unwilling to engage in meaningful discussions with Peloton before publishing its inaccurate and misleading press release.”
Peloton remains open to working with CPSC, but insists, “There is no reason to discontinue use of the Tread + as long as all warnings and safety instructions are followed.”