Chemical in furniture blamed for 3 deaths

LONDON, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- A fungicide used in leather furniture made in China has been linked to the deaths of three people in France and Britain.

Thousands of other people have suffered allergic reactions and burns, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Dimethyl fumarate, the fungicide, was not used to treat the leather, the newspaper said. But packets of the chemical were sealed in couches and arm chairs made by the Chinese company LinkWise to prevent mold while the furniture was being stored.

Body heat from people sitting on the furniture allegedly led to the release of chemical vapor.

Elizabeth McLaughlin, 59, of Luton in Bedfordshire suffered a fatal reaction that included swelling and respiratory problems. The other fatalities were a father and son near Paris.

"They had burns on their backs and legs," the wife and mother of the victims said. "When my husband was in hospital, our cat would not leave his master's chair. Two weeks later he was dead."

The first lawsuits have already been filed against the stores that sold the furniture, with buyers expected to seek at least $15 million in total damages.