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Peloton recalls treadmills after child’s death; CEO apologizes

Recalled Peloton Tread and Peloton Tread Plus Treadmills (Credit: Peloton/CPSC)

(NEXSTAR) — Peloton announced Wednesday that it is voluntarily recalling both of its treadmill machines after the death of a 6-year-old child and dozens of reported injuries.

Included in the separate recalls are Peloton’s Tread+ and its Tread treadmills. The company says the Tread+ treadmill was launched as the Peloton Tread in 2018 but renamed Tread+ in September 2020.

The company is advising customers who own the products to immediately stop using them and contact Peloton for a full refund or “other qualified remedy.”

In April, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warned about Peloton’s Tread+ product after one child died in an incident involving the machine.

According to a press release, the 6-year-old died after being pulled under the rear of the treadmill. More than 70 injuries were also reported.

“Peloton has received 72 reports of adult users, children, pets and/or objects being pulled under the rear of the treadmill, including 29 reports of injuries to children such as second- and third-degree abrasions, broken bones, and lacerations,” according to a release at the time.

The Tread was only sold in the U.S. as part of a limited invitation-only release from about November 2020 to about March 2021, according to the CPSC, which added that Peloton is working on a repair to be offered to Tread owners in the coming weeks.

Peloton’s CEO John Foley apologized for not cooperating with the CPSC sooner.

“The decision to recall both products was the right thing to do for Peloton’s Members and their families,” he said. “I want to be clear, Peloton made a mistake in our initial response to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s request that we recall the Tread+. We should have engaged more productively with them from the outset. For that, I apologize.”