Defective Light Poles Recalled From North Texas Schools And Parks

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is recalling an estimated 2,500 steel poles that were manufactured by a failed Fort Worth business, Whitco Co. LP.
Over 30 Texas schools, stadiums, parks, and shopping centers have installed the poles, which the CPSC says poses a serious danger to those in the vicinity of the poles.
According to accident reports, about one dozen of the poles have collapsed or fallen over in the past few years – with a number of reports coming from North Texas. The poles have crashed into school gymnasiums, playing fields, and stands, with one pole falling at a Denton County private school earlier this year.
The CPSC says that poles can develop small fractures in their bases that cause the pole’s support system to fail. Although no one has been injured by the light poles yet, the consumer safety group believes that the poles put people at a serious risk for injury. While they are not asking that the poles be taken down or replace, they are suggesting that the poles are checked for problems by professional engineers and fixed if necessary.
The poles, some of which are 125 feet tall, are still located in a number of Texas public places, including Dallas city parks, Fretz Park in North Dallas, and Cummings Park in Oak Cliff. A Dallas official said that they have been inspecting the poles since the first reports that falls were taking place.