A recall has been issued for five million pools after tragic toddler deaths were linked to a design flaw that allows children to gain access independently, officials report.

Multiple above-ground pools sold from 2002 to 2025 were recalled on Monday.

The massive recall was issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, along with the manufacturers, on July 21.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) explains that a tightly wrapped strap around the pool’s exterior, designed for additional wall stability, may inadvertently enable a child to climb over the edge without needing a ladder.

The compression strap “may create a foothold, allowing a child to access the pool and drown,” the report read.

Between 2007 and 2022, the CPSC claims that nine children, between 22 months and 3 years old, have drowned after climbing via the strap.

The states where the drownings occurred include California, Texas, Michigan, Florida, Wisconsin, and Missouri.

The agency said that, alongside the deaths, three other incidents between 2011 and 2012 allowed children to climb into the pools.

“The recalled above-ground pools have been sold since 2002 at stores nationwide,” the report read.

The pools were sold in numerous stores, including Walmart, Target, Sears, Lowe’s, Kmart, Toys “R” Us, Sam’s Club, The Home Depot, Big Lots, Costco, and BJ’s, along with online platforms such as Amazon.com, Wayfair.com, and retailers like Bestway USA, Intex, Funsicle, and Summer Waves.

The price of the above-ground pools ranged from $400 to $1,000, and over 260,000 were sold in Canada, too.

The pool manufacturers were Bestway, Intex, and Polygroup.

“Consumers should contact Bestway, Intex or Polygroup to request a repair kit,” the agency said.

“In the interim consumers should ensure that children cannot access the pool unattended or, alternatively, drain the pool until the repair can be installed.”

Some of the models included Polygroup Summer Waves, Summer Escapes, Funsicle, and Sand n Sun, alongside the Intex Prism Frame Pool and multiple others.

The pools are all 48 inches or taller.

URGENT RECALLS

Earlier this month, another recall was made for a potentially dangerous item from Amazon.

Retractable gates sold on the online retailer posed an entrapment hazard for children, leading to a recall by the CPSC.

“The recalled gates violate the federal standard for expansion gates and expandable enclosures because a child’s torso can fit through the opening between the gate and the floor, posing a risk of serious injury or death due to entrapment hazard,” the agency wrote in the recall.

“This recall involves Dearlomum retractable mesh safety gates, sold in black, gray and white.”

The recall said that customers should immediately stop using the product and reach out to company Signbaby for a full refund.

“Consumers will be asked to disassemble the gates and destroy them by cutting the mesh and to send a photo of the destroyed gates,” the CPSC said.

The gates were sold between December 2024 and May 2025, the price ranging from $33 to $38.

No incidents or injuries were reported for the gate recall.