Warning about Gel Candles

I just received this email and thought I would pass it along:

Subject: FW: Gel Candles

Hi ,

My former secretary had a terrible thing happen to her and her family last week, and I wanted to share it with all of you so that you could be warned and warn your friends and family as well. She had a gel candle burning in her
bathroom...it exploded and caught her house on fire...the house burned down and they have lost everything. The fire
marshal told her that this is not the first incident where a gel candle has exploded and caused a fire. He said that the gel builds up a gas, and often times it explodes and sets fire to the room it is in, which is what happened to her.

The fire was so hot it melted the smoke alarm, and they didn't discover the fire until there was an explosion, which was her toilet blowing up, and then it was too late...the entire upstairs was engulfed in flames. Smoke damage and water damage have destroyed what wasn't destroyed by fire.

Her family is devastated. All their mementos and everything of value and meaning are gone.
I'm not trying to bring anyone down...just a friendly warning to all of you about the use of gel candles left unattended.

I know a lady who loves the gel candles. She had one
burning on her mantle and it caught fire just like in the message above. She was at home at the time and saw it happen and grabbed the candle to keep it from setting her home on fire and it came apart in her hand. She saved her home but suffered 3rd degree burns to her hand and 3 fingers!

Please, if you or anyone you know have these candles, don't light them, they are dangerous. Please, pass this on.

Thanks for the information. I have burnt the gel candles before but after reading this I wont be burning them again. Think I will just stick to the ones my friend makes. She triple sents them. :-)

I feel stupid here. What is a gel candle? I love candles and burn them often, but haven't heard of gel candles before.

:)

Wrenn

gel candles are usually in containers/holders. they really are gelly and look it too. often translucent. they look like someone poured jello into a mold and stuck a wick inside. they feel like it too. you can smush it, it's soft.

never tried them myself. much prefer the solid pillars.

Hi Folks:

Here is what the Urban Legends reference pages have to say about the gel candle scare.

http://www.snopes.com/toxins/gel.htm

While gel candles can be dangerous, the e-mail story is greatly exaggerated. I have learned to be Very, Very, Very skeptical of chain e-mail scare stories. They are almost never to be taken at face value.

Karen

You took the words right out of my mouth, KayElJay. I was just getting ready to head to some urban legend sites to check it out. Here are the sites I frequent when I receive chain letters, warnings, or overhear stories in conversation:

http://www.truthorfiction.com/
http://www.urbanlegends.com/
http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/
http://www.hoaxinfo.com/
http://www.urbanlegends.about.com/science/urbanlegends/

CAUTION: Some contain adult material because of the nature of many stories being distributed.

:o) Kimberley

poorgirl5,

Thank you for your concern for us. That's the kind of thoughtfulness that makes for a great community! Please don't be embarassed by being de-bunked. I'm sure many of us would rather be warned falsely than be caught off-guard!

All of the above links will help you differentiate between the garbage and the truly worthy. I especially like KayElJay's site and have sited it often. If only I could get my e-mail passing friends to take a moment to check out some of the stuff they pass along!

Sue

Thanks KayElJay and Gardenwife for the links. All of them can come in handy.