Child dies in 'tragic accident' involving Peloton treadmill, CEO says

A child has died in an accident involving a Peloton treadmill, according to a message from the company's CEO sent to owners of its Tread+ workout equipment.

"I’m reaching out to you today because I recently learned about a tragic accident involving a child and the Tread+, resulting in, unthinkably, a death," Peloton chief executive John Foley wrote. "I can’t tell you how much this news and horrible reality has hit me personally and our entire team at Peloton."

"While we are aware of only a small handful of incidents involving the Tread+ where children have been hurt, each one is devastating to all of us at Peloton, and our hearts go out to the families involved," Foley added.

The Tread+ treadmill starts at $4,295 -- not including any of the add-ons or the subscription service fees.

Foley said the company designs and builds all of its products "with safety in mind," but added that "in order to help ensure that you and your family members stay safe with Peloton products in your home, we need your help."

In order to prevent accidents, Foley recommended to keep children and pets away from Peloton exercise equipment "at all times." Before beginning a workout, Foley said to "double check to make sure that the space around your Peloton exercise equipment is clear."

"When you finish a workout on your Tread+, remove the safety key and store it out of reach of children and anyone else who should not be able to start the Tread+," he added.

The CEO said the company was not providing additional information about the accident at this time out of respect for the family involved.

Finally, Foley said that they are assessing ways to reinforce warnings about safety precautions to prevent future accidents.

Peloton's at-home exercise equipment skyrocketed in popularity amid the COVID-19 pandemic and various stay-at-home orders. On Thursday afternoon in the wake of the news, the company's stock fell by more than 3%.