Ethanol gel fuels face recall over flash fire concerns

In Maryland, the Federal Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the voluntary recall of an additional nine manufacturers and distributors of ethanol-based pourable gel fuels like the one that critically burned a New York state teenager on May 28. An estimated two million units of fuel gel will be removed from the market as a result.

According to the Commission, the recall was issued due to serious risks of flash fire and burns when consumers add pourable gel to an already-burning fire pot. The federal agency warned consumers to immediately stop using the pourable gel fuel as it can ignite unexpectedly and splatter onto people and objects nearby when 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.