Candle caution!

bagpuss38

Just a warning to anyone thinking of purchasing reindeer candles from *9p store, we had one lit today as a decoration in the fireplace, it went up in a huge flame which throwing water on only caused it to flare more and spark.
Luckily it burnt out very quickly and thankfully someone was in the room at the time otherwise it might have been a different story:eek:
I am assuming that as water didnt help it must contain some dodgy chemicals.
*looks up getting a chemical extinguisher*

Torry_Quine

bagpuss38 wrote: »

Just a warning to anyone thinking of purchasing reindeer candles from *9p store, we had one lit today as a decoration in the fireplace, it went up in a huge flame which throwing water on only caused it to flare more and spark.
Luckily it burnt out very quickly and thankfully someone was in the room at the time otherwise it might have been a different story:eek:
I am assuming that as water didnt help it must contain some dodgy chemicals.
*looks up getting a chemical extinguisher*

You should never leave a candle unattended and definitely never use water to put one out!

Glad it wasn't more serious.

HappyMJ

Do not use water to put out a fire. You need to extinguish it by starving it of oxygen so cover it with a fire blanket or if you don't have a fire blanket just cover it with something non flammable. If you were to put out a fire where the fuel is wax or oil with water then you would get a much bigger fire that is uncontrollable.

Look at the animation on Wikipedia for the result... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wax_fire

MrsTinks

Wax is a fat, so treat it like you would an oil fire You wouldn't throw water on a hot chip pan fire would you?

Of course it doesn't explain the initial excessively large flame when you lit it! Can only assume you meant once it had burnt for a little bit and what may have happened is that the combination of cheap wax and cheap wick material meant that the wax melted faster than the wick actually burnt properly and you ended up with a large flame due to a very large wick? Having dabbled with candle making in the past that could definitely do it

bagpuss38

All good points, well made. Many thanks
Shall invest in a fire blanket

Owain_Moneysaver

Better not to buy candles.

Pinecones sprayed with some gold or silver paint probably safer.

VfM4meplse

Thanks for the warning OP - have you informed the 99p Store of the problem so they can investigate and issue a recall?

vikki_louise

Scary! I was given Christmas tree (pine tree?) candles from primark quite a few years ago, they stated off ok but started sparking and throwing big flames quickly, melted a whole in the mat which we use for all candles without problems and wouldn't go out when blown fully (was like those relighting candles but not meant to be).