Newsroom

A room lit with candles can set the perfect mood for any occasion, but it's also a potential hazard that can quickly turn into disaster.

The popularity of candles has grown significantly in recent years, with annual retail sales over $2 billion.

"Because of their popularity, candle-related fires can occur year-round, which means consumers should always take the proper precautions to guard against candle fires" said John Drengenberg, Consumer Affairs Manager for Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL), the not-for-profit product safety testing and certification organization.

According to the most recent report (July, 2006) from the U.S. Fire Administration, an estimated 23,600 fires in residences are caused by candles and result in 1,525 civilian injuries, 165 fatalities, and $390 million in direct property loss, annually.

"Statistics show that one of every three candle fires occurred when candles were left unattended or inadequately controlled," Drengenberg said. "One of four fires occurred when a combustible material, such as curtains or a pillow, came too close to the candle."

"For this reason, it's important to never leave a candle unattended. Always blow it out before leaving the room" he added.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, 85 percent of candle fires could be avoided if consumers followed these basic safety rules:

• Keep an eye on burning candles.
• Place candles out of the reach of children and pets.
• Extinguish candles when leaving the room or going to sleep.
• Don't place candles near curtains, bedding, paper, walls or any combustible materials.
• Use a sturdy, non-combustible candleholder that can collect drippings and won't tip over.
• Extinguish a candle when 2 inches of wax remains or a half-inch if the candle is in a container. This prevents heat damage to the surface and stops glass containers from breaking.
• Always keep candles — as well as matches and lighters — out of the reach of children.