Real Flame Gel Fuel

Fuel gels pose great danger

By BRUCE A. SCRUTON

bscruton@njherald.com

On a quiet summer evening some friends drop by and join you on the deck where you have a new ceramic firepot burning for atmosphere and to keep away insects.

Your dog, friendly beast that he is, wags his tail in welcome.

The tail hits the firepot ... the pot tips ... the fuel spills out ... and the water you spray on the fire doesn't put it out....

"It's a dangerous product," said Sussex County Fire Marshal Joe Inga last week after spending an afternoon at the county's Fire Training Academy running some homemade experiments. "I don't want it around my house."

The federal Consumer Product Safety Commission has ordered a recall of a fuel gel made by Napa Home and Garden, because of potential burn hazards, yet other brands of similar alcohol-based fuel still can be

purchased.

There are many potential accidents with the fuel gels, Inga noted. The gel is used in a steel cup with no cover, making it easy for the flammable liquid to spill.

Alcohol burns with a colorless flame and many victims thought they were simply filling the cup when, in fact, they literally were adding fuel to the fire.

Fuel gels have been around for decades; some would say centuries. In its basic form, a fuel gel is a flammable liquid, like gasoline or alcohol, mixed with other chemicals to form a gel.

In military circles, the product is called napalm, the gel made with gasoline that can be dropped in a bomb or used in a flame-thrower.

In commercial use, Sterno is a type of fuel gel that is used for camping stoves and restaurant buffet food warmer.

Types of fuel gels are also used by professional stunt people in the movies or on stage to simulate someone on fire. In that application, plenty of fire-fighting equipment and stagehands are nearby to stop an accident before it happens.

The type of gel made by Napa Home and Garden, under the brand names NAPAfire and Firegel, uses alcohol as its base.

Over the past few years, alcohol-based gels have been adapted for use in what are known as "firepots," ceramic pieces that produce a flame meant as a replacement for candles. Some fuel gels also have insect repellent, such as citronella, added.

The gel is poured into a stainless steel cup held in the ceramic piece and lit. The flame burns just above the surface of the gel, using the alcohol as its fuel.

Real Flame Explains Gel Fuel Differences | Woodstoves Fireplaces

Gel Fuel and discussed in detail two cases in which a consumer was badly injured using this product. The link is: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/11/nyregion/a-firepot-a-safe-label-and-2-horrible-explosions.html?_r=1

This morning Good Morning America ran a story as well and that link is: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/injuries-result-exploding-ceramic-pots-send-flaming-gel/story?id=13825462

Both of these stories are focused on NAPA Home Inc. and their ethanol based fuel. At this time, NAPA Home Inc. is the only company involved in these incidents. However, both stories also speak very generally of gel fuels as a category.

We would like to clarify that our pour gel fuel is not the same product and does not have the same qualities. The main ingredients and formulas are much different and in our tests have not shown the same burning characteristics.

Key differences about Real Flame:

Real Flame pour gel is an based gel fuel. It is a proprietary formula specifically designed and tested for use in our products. It has been sold safely in the US for close to 30 years. Real Flame Gel Fuel has been thoroughly tested by independent labs and has proven to be safe when used as directed. Furthermore it has been approved for burning by the Atlanta, Chicago, and Las Vegas Fire Departments to be used at industry trade shows. Records of those tests are on file. The labels of our pour gel and canned fuel were designed in conjunction with, and approved by Health Canada, which regulates these types of products and whose standards for labeling are very strict and beyond US requirements. This ensures that your customers are well informed regarding the safe use of this flammable gel fuel product. We have included pictures of our existing Real Flame Pour Gel labels. You can see that in the directions we boldly state not to add fuel to the reservoir while it is burning. Real Flame has been designing, testing and introducing gel-fueled fireplaces for the past 30 years.  We have a very reputable name in the industry and the safety of our customers is our top priority. We have compiled years of testing data that demonstrates that commitment.

Our thoughts go out to the injured, and today we have voluntarily contacted and spoken with the US Consumer Products Safety Agency to help them better understand gel fuel technology and to assist them in any way we can.