Check for product recalls and report any injuries or other product-related health and safety concerns.
Portable products that use liquid or gel fuels are popular for indoor and outdoor use.
Common products include:
While the flames in these may seem less intense or more controlled than traditional wood burning fires, there are serious risks to using these products.
When you pour liquid or gel fuels into a portable fireplace, fire pot, or a fondue fuel reservoir that is still burning or hot:
This is called flame jetting.
The flame or hot fireplace, fire pot, or fondue fuel reservoir ignites fuel vapours around the poured fuel stream. The flame then travels up the fuel stream and into the fuel container. This can result in a burst of flaming fuel jetting rapidly out of the container and travelling a distance dangerous to the user, children, and bystanders.
Flame jetting occurs very quickly, so the user and/or bystanders are unable to react quickly enough to move away from an incoming flame jet. Flame jetting poses a serious fire and burn risk to anyone near the portable fireplace, fire pot, or fondue pot.
In Canada, flame jetting has resulted in deaths and several very serious injuries, to both the person refilling the product with fuel and to multiple bystanders.
Watch Dr. Jim McGorman’s story on how fire pots can be dangerous.
Flame jetting observed after alcohol-based fuel is poured into a fire pot that is still burning. This photo has been reproduced from the Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM) public safety video on flame jetting and fire pots, found on the OFMEM public safety message on flame jetting.
If using a liquid or gel fuel to refill a fireplace, fire pot, or fondue fuel reservoir:
Other safety tips for portable fireplaces, fire pots, fondue pots, and liquid or gel fuels:
See: 2023 Health Canada Fire Pit Safety Warning
Page details
Date modified:
2024-07-18
SOURCE:
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/household-products/flame-jetting-risk.html
A special thank-you goes out to Health Canada for its continued leadership in warning the public about the dangers of alcohol-based portable fireplaces and fire pots. The agency’s detailed safety alerts and educational outreach have already saved countless people from devastating burn injuries. In particular, Dr. Jim McGorman’s compelling video and personal story illustrate how quickly a simple refueling mistake can turn into a life-threatening inferno. His experience and insights brings the hidden hazard of flame jetting into sharp focus and powerfully reminds viewers that these products should never be refilled when hot. Awareness like this can spark stronger recalls and, ultimately, prevent future tragedies.
Sincerely,
David Willis – Attorney at Law
FirePitLawsuits.com
Copyright © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
FirePitLawsuits.com – National investigations of alcohol-fueled fire pit explosions and burn injuries. * Willis is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law (since 1988)*, certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.Representing injured clients nationwide through association with local attorneys in compliance with each state’s bar rules. Licensed in Texas and New York. Willis Law Firm, 5005 Riverway Drive, Suite 160, Houston, Tx. – Principal Place of Business – All meetings by appointment only. Source
