P.M. BRIEFING : Firm Warns on Coffee Makers

WASHINGTON — An estimated 800,000 Proctor-Silex automatic drip coffee makers are being recalled because they pose a potential fire hazard, the company and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said today.

Proctor-Silex said it had received 181 reports of fire involving the coffee maker, which was manufactured in 1985 and 1986 and sold by Sears and J. C. Penney outlets.

Owners should unplug the coffee makers and stop using them, the company and safety agency said in a news release. The coffee makers are not repairable, the release said.

The company, which will issue a new coffee maker for each recalled appliance, said thermostats and fuses may overheat, possibly causing a fire.

Owners of the recalled coffee makers are asked to call a toll-free number, 1-800-341-3333, to verify that their appliance is included and to learn how to return them and obtain reimbursement for shipping.