A young woman in Charleston, South Carolina is paying a horrible price for a poorly manufactured and poorly marketed product. She was the victim of a Firepot burning, a product that is now under massive recall.
Rachel Smilowitz sustained second and third degree burns. Click here to listen to her full account of the accident.
Marketed as a safe “pourable gel”, FireGel fuel for the Summer Firepot is more like a lethal weapon.
According to the New York Times a 14-year-old boy is fighting for his life after a Firepot explosion nearly killed him. He is not alone. Across the country there have been multiple instances of the jelly-like substance turning into a fireball and coating the victim’s skin.
More than one report has likened the substance to napalm, the gelling firebomb agent used in military operations.
The product has been sold at Bed-Bath-and Beyond, Home Depot, Sam’s Club and other Big Box stores across the country, produced by Napa Home and Garden, a Georgia based company.
The citronella gel is lit to help keep mosquitoes and gnats away from families enjoying summertime fun. Unfortunately, once the product is lit, there is no flame. Reportedly, the victims have tried to refill the Firepots when they were already burning. The result is like pouring gasoline onto a campfire, potentially deadly.
In addition to its main purpose of keeping annoying bugs at bay, the major marketing appeal of this item is that it is made from post-consumer products and emits no fumes.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has launched an investigation.
Anyone in possession of one of these firepots or the associated FireGel should discard BOTH immediately.
The product has been removed from store shelves across the country but it’s highly likely there is an abundance of both the Firepots and FireGel in the hands of unsuspecting consumers.
Examiner’s Note: If any deployed warrior has received a Firepot in a troop support package, by some well-meaning friend back home, please discard the product safely before it has a chance to do bodily harm.
Happy 236thBirthday to the United States Army, the backbone of the U.S. military!!!
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