Nearly 90,000 table fire pits have been recalled following reports of serious burn injuries

NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly 90,000 table fire pits are being recalled after flames coming from them led to a handful of serious burn injuries.

According to a recall notice issued Thursday by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Colsen brand fire pits, which are designed to sustain fire by burning liquid alcohol, pose a “flame splash” hazard. Flame emission can occur when a user refills the container as fire returns, fueling the burning alcohol.

Alcohol flames can be invisible, and the liquid can also spill or leak from the pit during use, which can result in a flash fire. The recall notice warns that this can cause injury quickly and unexpectedly, potentially “causing burns in less than a second, which can be serious and fatal.”

To date, the CPSC says it has received 31 reports of flames emanating or escaping from fire pits, resulting in 19 burn injuries. Two of those involved third-degree burns to 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.

The CPSC and Miami-based Colsen are urging consumers to immediately stop using the fire pits and throw them away. The commission found that it was unlawful to resell or donate the now recalled products.

But there are also no refund options. According to the recall notice, the company “does not have the financial resources to provide relief to consumers” and stopped selling the cores a year after taking over the product business.

The approximately 89,500 fire pits affected by the recall were sold from January 2020 to July 2024 at major retailers such as Amazon.com, Wayfair, Walmart and Sharper Image, as well as on social media platforms such as TikTok and Meta-owned apps. This includes fire pits previously manufactured by another company, Thursday’s recall announcement said, although the notice did not name that company.

The seven models of recalled fireplaces differed in size, shape and color. Retail prices ranged from $40 to $90.

In a statement on its website, Colsen said it initiated this recall along with the CPSC because “we take safety very seriously.”

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