Viking recalls 60,000 high-end ranges over burn hazard

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Viking Range LLC is recalling about 60,000 gas ranges priced up to $13,000 after dozens of reports of them igniting by themselves, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Thursday. The Greenwood, Mississippi, company is recalling 15 models of its freestanding gas ranges sold in various finishes and colors, the commission said in a statement. Viking, a unit of Middleby Corp, has received 75 reports of the ranges turning on by themselves. They include three reports of burns and four of property damage claims, including one that resulted in an $850 payment, it said. The recall affects about 52,000 U.S.-made ranges in the United States and about 8,300 in Canada. They were sold at stores from July 2007 to June 2014 for between $4,000 and $13,000, the statement said. Customers should contact the company to schedule free in-home repair, it said. (Reporting by Ian Simpson)