Amazon subsidiary Ring has issued an immediate recall on over a quarter of a million smart doorbells after multiple reports of them catching fire and damaging property and, in some cases, causing injury.

The fire risk affects 2nd generation Ring video doorbells bought between June and October 2020.

What Is Causing Ring Doorbells to Catch Fire?

The fault stems from an overheating battery pack when the device is installed using the incorrect screws, according to a recent notice from the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC):

Ring has received 85 incident reports of incorrect doorbell screws installed with 23 of those doorbells igniting, resulting in minor property damage. The firm has received eight reports of minor burns.

The recall only affects Ring doorbells that have already been installed. If you have one of the affected devices, you can still install it safely using updated instructions provided by Ring [PDF].

How Do I Know if My Ring Doorbell Is Part of the Recall?

So far, the recall is only targeting second-generation Ring video doorbells with the model number 5UM5E5. The model and serial number are printed on a label on the back of the device.

To find out if your Ring doorbell is part of the recall, you can enter its serial number (labeled S/N) to the Ring recall support website or call 800-656-1918.

The CPSC recall only affects devices in the US and Canada, though Ring's recall information doesn't specify a region. Ring did reply to a UK customer on Twitter, advising checking their device serial number on the support site. However, there have been no official reports of faulty units outside the US and Canada.

This Isn't Ring's First Controversy

This isn't the first time Amazon's smart home subsidiary has received negative press. In 2019, Ring announced cooperation agreements with over 400 US police departments, giving easier access to footage recorded by video doorbells.

While the deal only applies to specific recordings that could help in active investigations, privacy advocates find the move troubling. While providing video is still optional, Amazon is promoting it as part of the Neighbors app and even providing social media copy for law enforcement departments, according to The Guardian.

Always Watching, Always Listening

Amazon is placing itself in a tricky spot here. It wants to be trusted by the public and have its always-attentive devices in their homes. Conversely, it intends to use the unprecedented coverage it has to aid law enforcement in gathering evidence about criminal suspects.

On the surface, it's a noble pursuit. So far, multiple US police departments have gained access to recordings made by Alexa equipped devices as part of active criminal inquiries.

It's difficult to retain trust when you appear to be incapable of sustaining privacy, something Ring has failed to do in the past. The 2019 hack affecting Ring doorbells in California forced many to question if Ring devices could actually make your home less safe.

While fire presents a more immediate risk, the long-term implications of Ring's increasing access to the personal lives of thousands has privacy advocates worried.