After Reports of Serious Burns, 90K Tabletop Fire Pits Recalled

Nearly 90,000 tabletop fire pits are being recalled after flames shooting out from them resulted in a handful of serious burn injuries. The Colsen-branded fire pits, which are designed to hold fires by burning liquid alcohol, pose a "flame jetting" hazard, according to a recall notice published Thursday by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. The flame jetting can occur when a user is refilling the container, if fire flashes back and propels the burning alcohol, the AP reports. The seven models of the recalled fire pits varied in size, shape, and color. The commission and Miami-based Colsen urge consumers to stop using the fire pits immediately and throw them away.

Alcohol flames can be invisible, and the liquid may also spill or leak out of the pit during use, causing a flash fire. The recall notice warns that this can lead to injury quickly and unexpectedly, potentially causing burns "in less than one second that can be serious and deadly." The commission says it has received 31 reports of flame jetting or flames escaping from the fire pits, resulting in 19 burn injuries. Two of those were third-degree burns on more than 40% of the victims' bodies, the commission said, and at least six incidents involved surgery, prolonged medical treatment, loss of function, or permanent disfigurement.

Sale prices ranged from $40 to $90. The commission noted that it's against the law to resell or donate the now-recalled products. But there's also no refunds available. According to the notice, the company "does not have the financial resources to offer a remedy to consumers" and stopped selling the pits a year after acquiring the business, per the AP. The roughly 89,500 fire pits under recall were sold at major retailers like Amazon.com, Wayfair, Walmart, and Sharper Image—as well as on social media platforms like TikTok and Meta-owned apps, from January 2020 through July 2024. They include fire pits that were previously manufactured by another company, the recall announcement notes, though it did not identify that company. (More product recall stories.)