Quebec coroner urges Canada to recall Murphy beds without safeguards after death of 5-year-old

A Quebec coroner is urgingCanada to remove all Murphy beds lacking proper safeguards from the market and recommending that onlythose that comply with international safetystandards be sold.

Donald Nicole made 11 recommendationsin a coroner's report publishedThursdaythat looked into the death of a five-year-old boy after a wall bed, also known as a Murphy bed, suddenly opened and came crashing down on him.

The incident occurred on Jan. 12 during a family vacation fromMassachusetts to the VillageVacancesValcartier water parkresortin Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier,Que.

Anthony Putnam and his parents had just checked into their room atHtel Valcartieron the site of the resort. His father was parking their car and his mother was putting away their belongings while the boy played on a couch that sat immediately under the room's Murphy bed.

According to the coroner's report, around 4:30 p.m., the boy grabbeda pair of vertical handles behind the couch and a queen-sized bed suddenly opened its full weight coming down hard on his head.

The boy was rushed to hospital where he was found to have sufferedmultiple cranial and facial fractures, as well as several cerebral hemorrhages.

He was taken into emergency surgery where his condition rapidly deteriorated. He was pronounced dead that evening.

Bedlackedsafety devices

In his report, Nicole said an analysis revealed the spring mechanisms on either side of the headboard had low resistance and that the bed could launch open at an accelerated speed if it was tugged by even 12 centimetres.

The bed was also not equipped with a locking mechanism to prevent it from opening accidentally due to spring failure anddid not comply with the ISO 10131 international safety standard, which is not mandatory in Canada.

"All the evidence gathered shows that young Anthonydied from head injuries resulting from the sudden opening of a vertical fold-down bed that had no locking device to limit its unexpected opening," Nicole said.

Beds that do not comply with the safety standard have been linked to at least two other deaths in Canada in the last 20 years. Oneach occasion, coroners have requested that the safety standard be applied.

Nicole said some manufacturerscontinue to sell Murphy beds built without compliance to the safety standard and without a locking system.

In the days following the accident, Htel Valcartier quickly upgraded the safety of each of its 123 Murphybeds manufactured byLes meubles BOFFInc. and boughtfrom Matelas Dauphin by addinga safety notice for users and a restraint device to prevent the beds from opening suddenly.

Coroner calls for mandatory safety standards

But the coroner's report highlights the lack of change on the part of the bed's manufacturer since the accident.

Nicole said the general manager of Les meubles BOFFInc.wasunable to confirm that the Murphy beds manufactured by his company were built to ISO 10131 standards. He also could notguarantee the existence of a preventive and periodic maintenance guide to check the tension and calibrate the spring mechanisms.

A visit to the retailer in May 2024 revealed the company was still selling furniture without adequate safety devices.

Nicole said it was therefore "imperative" to make recommendations to "protect human life."

He recommended the companyinstall safety devices for its Murphy beds and warn past and future customers of the dangers associated with this type of bed that does not comply with ISO 10131.The latter recommendation is also addressed to Matelas Dauphin.

The coroner recommends that Health Canada mandate compliance with the ISO 10131 standard and pull any Murphy bed from the marketthat doesnot meet this standard or lacks a safety device.

He also asked Quebec's main hotel associations to inform their customers of the risks associated with these beds.

In a statement, theAssociation htellerie du Qubecsaid it has taken note of the recommendation and confirmed it will inform "all our members of the risks that Murphy beds that are not equipped with a locking system can present."

In a statement, Health Canada said the coroner's recommendation may not go far enough.

It said it was working with an international standards organization to come up with new requirements to include explicit instructions, warnings and installation hardware on all Murphy beds, going beyondthe ISO 10131 standard.

"There are no specific regulations for foldaway beds (including Murphy beds, or beds that fold up into a wall) in Canada," the statement said. "However, suppliers have the responsibility to ensure that their products are safe."