Video – Finger Amputations Prompt Graco Stroller Recall

Is no stroller safe?

Yet another brand of popular strollers has issued a recall after a dangerous part chopped off the fingertips of several children, government officials said.

Graco put out a recall yesterday on 1.5 million of its strollers after discovering that hinges on the stroller’s canopy were causing the serious injuries.

The devices have hurt seven children, including two who suffered severe cuts and five who had their fingertips amputated, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The Graco recall comes a little more than two months after Maclaren issued a recall on 1 million strollers. The Maclarens had a faulty side hinge that caused 12 children to lose their fingertips.

The news of yet more stroller woes had parents reeling yesterday.

“This is scary,” said Joanne Nava, 24, the mother of a 4-month-old who was heading out to buy a stroller at a Target store in Queens. She said the recall news has made her take Graco off her shopping list.

“I think they should be more careful and do more rigorous testing before they put them out on the market,” she said.

“I’m very concerned,” said Jodie Smith, 36, mom of a 5-month-old who was at a Babies “R” Us in College Point Queens. “Graco in general is a very good brand; unfortunately, they learned through trial and error. I wouldn’t want to be the error one.”

The Graco recall covers select versions of their Passage, Alano and Spree model strollers made before March 2008, the company said on its Web site.

Graco said people with the affected strollers don’t have to send them back, but will get a new canopy hinge cover sent to them free.

The Graco stroller trouble came while users were opening or closing the canopy and chil dren stuck their fingers inside.

“I have a 10-month-old, and she touches everything and puts everything in her mouth,” said Caren Miranda, a Graco stroller user who did not have one of the affected models. “I’m surprised. Graco is a good name. It’s disappointing to hear.”

Graco said in a statement yesterday that “safety is always our top priority.”

But the recall may cause a big hit on its reputation, according to consumers The Post talked to yesterday.

“It’s a shame,” said Elanor Bernabo, 35, of Queens, who was shopping at Babies “R” Us yesterday with her 5-month-old daughter Erica. “We’re shopping for a stroller now, a larger one. I will definitely be looking at another brand.”