LG Electric Range Lawsuit Alleges Defective Controls Caused House Fire

Lawsuits allege defective electric range designs may cause the appliances to activate unexpectedly, resulting in fires, serious injuries and property damage.

A California property insurance program is pursuing a product liability lawsuit against LG Electronics and Home Depot, alleging a defective front-mounted control system caused an electric range burner to activate unexpectedly and start a house fire.

The complaint (PDF) was filed by California Fair Plan in the Superior Court of the State of California on July 22, and was removed to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on September 3.

California Fair Plan alleges the LG electric range caused a February 2025 house fire that resulted in more than $140,000 in property damage, and claims the appliance contained a defective control system that allowed a heating element to activate without the homeowner intending to turn it on.

Electric Range Fire Risks

Electric ranges use electrically powered heating elements on the cooktop and inside the oven to generate heat for cooking and baking. Many newer models feature front-mounted control knobs, which allow users to operate the burners without reaching across a hot cooking surface.

However, lawsuits and product recalls have raised concerns that some front-mounted controls may be too easily activated by accidental contact, allowing a burner to turn on when the range is otherwise unattended.

In February 2025, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced an LG electric range recall affecting about 500,000 slide-in and freestanding ranges with front-mounted knobs. Federal safety officials warned the knobs could be activated through accidental contact by people or pets, posing a fire hazard.

The recalled ranges were sold at Home Depot, Best Buy, Costco, Lowe’s and other retailers from 2015 through January 2025. Rather than replacing the ranges, LG offered consumers a warning label and instructions for using the appliances’ Control Lock or Lock Out feature to prevent heating elements from being activated when the range was not in use.

Similar allegations have been raised against other electric range manufacturers. In May, a couple filed a lawsuit against Samsung, alleging that a recalled electric range unintentionally activated after a front-mounted control knob was accidentally bumped, resulting in more than $500,000 in property damage.

LG Electric Range Fire Allegations

California Fair Plan is an insurer of last resort that provides basic property insurance to California homeowners who are unable to obtain coverage through the traditional private insurance market. The lawsuit was brought as a subrogation claim on behalf of its insured, Amy Hunter, after California Fair Plan paid for damage allegedly caused by an LG electric range fire.

According to the complaint, the fire occurred on February 21, 2025, and involved an LG electric range, Model LSEL633D/00. California Fair Plan alleges the appliance contained a defective front-mounted control system that allowed the warming burner or warming zone to activate unexpectedly.

The allegations mirror the fire hazard identified in the February 2025 LG recall. At the time of the recall, the CPSC had received at least 86 reports of unintentional activation involving LG range controls, and the appliances had been linked to more than 28 fires. At least five fires caused extensive property damage totaling more than $340,000, while eight minor injuries, including burns, and three fires involving pet deaths were also reported.

California Fair Plan maintains that LG knew or should have known about the risk posed by the front-mounted controls and that affected ranges were subject to a recall by the time of the Hunter fire. However, the insurer alleges LG did not disable or replace the affected appliances or require installation of an in-home corrective device capable of preventing unintended activation.

The lawsuit also alleges LG and Home Depot failed to implement an adequate recall and notification program. California Fair Plan claims the companies could have used purchaser information, retailer records, warranty registrations and customer databases to identify owners of affected ranges and provide more effective warnings about the fire risk.

“Plaintiff is informed and believes and thereon alleges that the warnings, labels, and instructions provided with the Product did not provide sufficient instructions to allow a user or consumer to avoid, prevent, or timely detect the defect.”

— California Fair Plan v. LG Electronics U.S.A. Inc. et al.

According to the complaint, California Fair Plan subsequently notified LG and Home Depot of the fire and its property damage claim, and an engineer was assigned to evaluate the incident and potential liability.

The insurer alleges the defendants have not disputed liability but have failed to reimburse California Fair Plan for $140,051.33 it paid as a result of the fire.

The lawsuit presents claims for strict products liability, negligence and breach of express and implied warranties. California Fair Plan seeks recovery of the property damage payments, as well as attorney’s fees and costs, prejudgment and post-judgment interest and any other relief the court determines is appropriate.

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