One child died and four others suffered serious injuries after swallowing tiny magnets found in building sets sold nationwide, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. A recall of 3.8 million of the toy kits is presently underway. The commission has received reports of 34 incidents involving the small magnets included in the Magnetix magnetic building sets, including the X-treme Combo, Micro and Extreme versions. The magnets are fitted inside the plastic building pieces and rods but can fall out, posing a danger to children who inhale or swallow them. A 20-month-old boy died after he swallowed magnets that twisted his small intestine and created a blockage. Three other children, between the ages of 3 and 8, suffered intestinal perforations that required surgery and hospitalization in intensive care. And a 5-year-old boy inhaled two magnets that had to be surgically removed from his lungs.

The Chinese-made sets were imported by RoseArt Industries Inc. and sold at stores including Wal-Mart, Target and Toys R Us. Attempts to reach RoseArt after business hours were unsuccessful. The CPSC says that consumers should stop using the sets and return them to RoseArt for a free replacement product. Consumers with questions can contact RoseArt at 1-800-272-9667 or visit the company’s Web site at http://www.roseart.com