Pourable Gel Fuel Recall Expanded to Nine Firms
After Napa Home & Garden recalled 460,000 bottles and jugs of the fuel in June, CPSC announced Sept. 1 that these nine companies are recalling 2 million more.
Ten weeks after Napa Home & Garden of Duluth, Ga., and the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of 460,000 bottles and jugs of pourable NAPAfire and FIREGEL Gel Fuel, the recall expanded with the Sept. 1 announcement by CPSC that 2 million units are being recalled by nine other manufacturers and distributors.
The agency's release said this voluntary recall involves pourable gel fuels packaged in one-quart plastic bottles and one-gallon plastic jugs and sold in scented and non-scented formulations since 2008 for between $5 and $20 by the companies. Consumers should contact the firms to obtain instructions for a refund of the product and for returning unused bottles and jugs, CPSC said.
The companies are:
- Bird Brain Inc., of Ypsilanti, Mich.
- Bond Manufacturing of Antioch, Calif.
- Sunjel Company (2 Burn Inc.) of Milwaukee
- Fuel Barons Inc. of Lake Tahoe, Nev.
- Lamplight Farms Inc. of Menomonee Falls, Wis.
- Luminosities Inc. (Windflame) of St. Paul, Minn.
- Pacific Décor Ltd. of Woodinwille, Wash.
- Real Flame of Racine, Wis.
- Smart Solar Inc. of Oldsmar, Fla.
The fuel "can ignite unexpectedly and splatter onto people and objects nearby when it is poured into a firepot that is still burning. CPSC is aware of 65 incidents resulting in two deaths and 34 victims who were hospitalized with second and third degree burns of the face, chest, hands, arms or legs," according to the commission, which added that the 65 incidents include 28 -- involving 37 burn injuries and two fatalities –- in which fuel gel products made by Napa Home & Garden were involved. Napa Home & Garden recalled them in June 2011 and then announced Aug. 5 that it had been acquired by Teters Floral Products Inc.
"All pourable gel fuel, regardless of manufacturer, poses flash fire hazards," CPSC's release states. "Consumers should not attempt to use or fix pourable gel fuel bottles with homemade remedies, or replace the fuel with other flammable materials. Retailers should stop sale of existing inventory and immediately remove all stock of pourable gel fuel from shelves. Some firms are working on a design for caps that may prevent flash fire hazards."