Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 17, 1995                   TAG: 9503170061
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

BEANBAG CHAIRS FACE MASSIVE RECALL

The Consumer Product Safety Commission learned of five deaths and at least 12 other cases in which children have inhaled or ingested some of the beanbag filling, a spokeswoman said Thursday.

In some cases, they unzipped and crawled into the bags, where they choked on the small foam pellets inside. Some children choked while playing with the pellets outside of the bag, the commission said.

The zippered bags were sold nationwide through 1994. Stores included Caldor, F.W. Woolworth, Harts Stores, J.C. Penney, Kmart, Montgomery Ward, Rich's, Sears Roebuck & Co., Toys 'R' Us and Wal-Mart, the commission said.

The nine companies involved are: Ace Bayou Corp. of New Orleans; Ace Novelty of Bellvue, Wash.; American Bean Bag Co. of Corona, Calif.; American Home Furnishings Corp. of Ft. Wayne, Ind.; Colortex USA of Ft. Smith, Ark.; Gold Medal of Richmond, Va.; Jordan Manufacturing Co. of Monticello, Ind.; Mr. Bean Bag of Garland, Texas; and Now Products of Chicago.

- Associated Press