Scented Gel Candles

I have a matter that you may be able to help me with. My name is Theresa **. I`m from Fernie, British Columbia, Canada. I purchased a defective jelly candle which ultimately left me with 2nd and 3rd degree burns to my hands and arms, the inability to work for several weeks afterwards and the medical procedures and products that I have discussed with my doctor are out of my price range, so therefore my injuries are going untreated.

I was burning a gel candle in my living room about 10-15 feet away from where I was sitting when my smoke detector went off. I jumped up to see what was going on and the candle was flared up to about 6-7 inches tall. There was black smoke trails up the wall near the flame, jelly stuff was splattered on the wall, carpet, and table on which the candle was burning and parts of the carpet had melted and-or started on fire! I grabbed a nearby towel and tried to smother the fire but was unable to put it out. At this time I decided my best bet was to try to transport the candle to somewhere containable (i.e. the bathroom sink or bathtub because the ceramic would not catch fire). I stomped out the flames on the carpet, wound the towel around both hands and proceeded to relocate the candle to a better environment for extinguishing the flame.

As I was carrying the candle the glass container burst in my hands, first burning my left hand, then my right forearm. Due to the burst, I dropped the candle on the bathroom floor, smashing the glass container further, but ultimately extinguishing the flame. I immediately called my parents to bring me to the hospital as it was apparent I was badly burnt, and was treated shortly afterwards by the local hospitals emergency unit. My mother returned to my apartment soon after to make sure everything was extinguished and clean up the damage and mess caused by the accident so that when I returned home I could focus solely on my recovery. I therefore do not still have the object in question in my possession, but I have an eye witness to the incident (flare up and burning) and medical records showing my injuries.

I have not yet tracked down what company the candle was made by but I know exactly what it looked like and would be able to point it out if I saw it again. The few models listed on your site did not match the one I had, but if you might be able to point me in the right direction about where to look I may be able to figure out who may be at fault for this mishap. Please get back to me with any info or questions you may have (preferably by telephone). Thank you for you time.

I recently had a gel candle explode, or rather it became fully involved. As a fireman in my previous career, there is no doubt that this incident could have burned the house down if not for the candle being isolated. DO NOT EVER leave a gel candle unattended!!! By the way, don't use water to extinguish, I'm told. I smothered it successfully.

I bought a five-inch cubed gel candle from a stand located in the middle of the Westfield Solano mall in Fairfield, California. The second time I used it, I left it burning in my room for about five hours and went to go watch a movie with my family at the other end of the house. Towards the end of the movie, all of our fire alarms went off. Thinking it was a false alarm I grabbed a pillow and was going to try to clear the air around the fire alarm by my room.

That's when I noticed the entire gel candle was on fire. At first I tried to blow it out, but there were too many flames. Panicking I grabbed the candle from my dresser with my bare hands and ran to the bathroom. I threw it in the sink and turned the water on. Unfortunately as I was rushing to the bathroom, the gel poured on my hands and burned them.

I have burned many candles, and never once have they exploded on me such as this gel one.

I was rushed to the emergency room and was treated for second degree burns on both my hands. I may have permanent discoloration and scarring on a third of my left hand, and my thumb and index finger on my right hand currently have massive blisters that may leave scars as well. As I ran to the bathroom, the gel spilled on my pants and left a trail on my carpet, which also may be permanently damaged. My dad and uncle cut their hands trying to clean the broken candle glass out of my bathroom sink.

The gel candle in a glass cylinder started flaming 4-6" above the top rim with sparks spitting out. First response was to blow it out when it exploded more with higher flames and burning spits, tried water, same response, finally used drenched towel to suffocate the flame.

Bad burns over the right side of my face and eyelids from the gel spraying my face when I tried to blow it out. Saw MD next morning for burn examination; given antibiotic burn cream with instructions for infection. Missed work and paid for doctors exam including medication.

I had this happen to me just this last November. My fiance had the candle in the bathroom and luckily he was in there with it. We tried using water and it just sparked and spit hot oil everywhere. Then we put an old pie pan on top of the candle to stop the oxygen flow, and the whole candle exploded and finally, thankfully it went out. What a mess it was to clean up! We bought a fire extinguisher and we will never, never buy those gel candles again! !

I have received this email from freinds saying they had similar cercumstances. I don't want anything for me, just please help get these off the market so nobody gets hurt.

I received several Gel Candles from my Mother-in-law that she purchased from the local "Garden Botanika" at Lakeline Mall in Cedar Park, Texas. We were having guests over so I decided to light one of the candles. Shortly after lighting the candle, it erupted in flames. I picked it up to try and blow it out like you would a normal candle, (the glass jar was not yet hot) and as I started to blow on it the gel spilled out onto my thumb and palm.

My husband Richard rushed to help me get the gel off. Having worked in the local Hospital he saw that the burns were serious and took me to the ER. The Doctor said that I received some 2nd and possibly 3rd degree burns on my hand.

I purchased two of those "pretty" gel candles in the glass jars to use at a party I was having. Shortly after guests arrived I lit the candles.

Within 10 minutes of lighting the candles, one of them literally went up in flames, the entire bowl was on fire!

Before I had the chance to do anything to put the fire out, the glass bowl shattered and sprayed glass and burning gel all over me, my furniture and carpet. I later found out from the fire department that these gel candles have the same properties as napalm.

They are unlike normal candles in that the gel is flammable, unlike normal candle wax that simply melts, and it burns at MUCH hotter temperatures. The burn specialist at the ER said he has seen candle burns before, but never like I had.

Why would someone put this type of substance into a glass jar that is not even fire safe and sell it for use in someone's home?

A night in the emergency room with 2nd and 3rd degree burns on my hands, and head. Destroyed my carpet and couch. I lost 2 months off work (I am self employed) and have scars on my hands ( permanent) and hair loss in the burn area on my head.

The medical bills are enormous as I had to go to a special burn clinic.