This 5-Year-Old’s Hide-and-Seek Hiding Spot Has Caused an Igloo Coolers Recall

Igloo is voluntarily recalling all of its coolers with latch locks after a 5-year-old boy became trapped inside such a cooler during a game of hide-and-seek. In a video captured by a home security camera, Nicholas Wanes can be seen climbing into a 72-quart Igloo Marine Elite cooler, and once he closes the lid on top of himself, the latch closes, causing him to be unable to open the lid from the inside. After realising he was stuck, Nicholas started screaming and his parents ran outside, which is when his dad, Rob, lifted the cooler lid and found him curled up inside it.

"When it got locked, I was scared. Like, I thought I got locked in there forever," Nicholas told WSVN of being locked in the cooler. "I didn't notice that the lock closes automatically." In actuality, the lid was shut for just a few seconds, but his dad says that his son's screams were "awful." "Every thought goes through your mind. 'What if? What if? What if? What if I didn't hear him? What if I was out front? What if I was upstairs? What if I was in the shower?' I mean, that's why we want to get this out there," Nicholas's mom, Maria, said.

After the Wanes family and WSVN both reached out to Igloo, the company released a statement in addition to its voluntary recall. "We are very sorry for the scare this incident must have caused the child and his family, and very happy no one was injured. We have contacted the family to express our apologies and communicate the following actions we have already taken."

The cooler models included in the recall are as follows:

• Igloo Marine Elite 72 quart (item #00049375)
• Igloo Marine Elite 54 quart (item #00049374)
• Igloo Marine Elite 94 quart (item #00049574)
• Igloo Marine Elite 110 quart (item #00034108)
• Igloo Marine Elite 150 quart (item #00049573)
• Igloo Lockable Latch (item #00020087)

Igloo's recall reads: "It is possible that the stainless-steel latch could inadvertently close where a person could potentially become locked inside. We are working closely with our distributors to send customers a free latch-replacement kit that you can use to easily and safely switch out the current latch. If you haven't received a kit, you can contact us toll free at 1(866)-509-3503."