Ryobi Technologies Inc. today announced that they are recalling 455,000 cordless power drills. The recall has been initiated because the switch on the drills can overheat, causing burns to their users, as well as becoming a fire hazard. The recall is on the Ryobi Model HP 1802M cordless power drill only. It is advised that anyone with this drill immediately stop using it, and contact Ryobi right away for a replacement.

The drill, which was manufactured in China, was on sale exclusively at Home Depot stores from January 2001 to July 2003 for approximately $100. Thus far the company has received 47 complaints of the product overheating, melting, or catching fire. Out of these 47 complaints, 12 of them were also associated with property damage, and 2 incidents involved minor burns to the user.

According to their website Ryobi is “One of the world’s largest and most innovative power tool manufacturers, Ryobi Power Tools specializes in making pro-featured power tools truly affordable. That’s why Ryobi is the brand of choice for millions of homeowners, woodworkers, hobbyists, craftspeople, and value-conscious contractors”.

For more information on this drill recall you can contact Ryobi Customer Service at (800) 597-9624 between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. EST during the week.