IKEA candle tealight fire - advice needed

Kirsty_&_Pete

Can anyone offer any advice please?
Bought pack of tealights from Coventry Ikea 28th Dec 07.
Lit them same evening and one caught fire on our mantlepiece, blackening the wall and burning, permanently marking, the mantlepiece.
Took photos and sent with complaint letter registered delivery on 8th Jan to address given from store of PO Box 196 Rotherham.
To date have not had any response to this - what we consider to be a very serious issue, not only for us but for others perhaps. Did google search and it appears this isn't the first time their candles have caught fire - USA recalled 133000 candle packs......
Next step help anyone please ????
Thanks v much

maninthestreet

How does a lighted candle 'catch fire'? It's already alight.
Was anyone in the room at the time of this incident? If not, you've learnt a lesson - never leave a lighted candle unattended in this way. Even better, don't have any lighted candles in the house at all, as you've discovered they are a fire hazard.

sarahlouise210

we all know that candles can be dangerous .. but tealights are seen as the less dangerous of them all and only one caught fire. I presume you had then in a holder and not just sitting on your mantlepiece. The issue here for me is that the letter of complaint has not been addressed - have you checked to see that the registered letter was received ??? If it was I would send another letter explaining your dismay at not receiving a reply to your original complaint - advise that you will have no option but to go to the press so others are warned - that should do the trick !
Candles are just dangerous - avoid!

Kirsty_&_Pete

sarahlouise210 wrote: »

we all know that candles can be dangerous .. but tealights are seen as the less dangerous of them all and only one caught fire. I presume you had then in a holder and not just sitting on your mantlepiece. The issue here for me is that the letter of complaint has not been addressed - have you checked to see that the registered letter was received ??? If it was I would send another letter explaining your dismay at not receiving a reply to your original complaint - advise that you will have no option but to go to the press so others are warned - that should do the trick !
Candles are just dangerous - avoid!

Thanks, and yes the tealight was in a holder (an Ikea one at that ) and the issue is about the fact that there has been no response (and yes the letter was received).

We didn't leave the room - the tealight seemed to "explode" all of a sudden causing a large flame.
Another letter will be on the way

hollydays

How would a large flame burn the mantelpiece?

Kirsty_&_Pete

hollydays wrote: »

How would a large flame burn the mantelpiece?

The bottom of the tealight holder got very hot and that is what burnt the mantlepiece - this appears to have happened when the tealight was burning "normally"....

Kirsty_&_Pete

Just wanted some advice on how to further my complaint - i am fully aware of the dangers of candles and how to use them properly and feel i am "justifying" the use of said candles and the fact that it burn't my mantlepiece rather than getting advice on how to complain !!!!!!!!!!!

hollydays

Kirsty_&_Pete wrote: »

The bottom of the tealight holder got very hot and that is what burnt the mantlepiece - this appears to have happened when the tealight was burning "normally"....

Any of those holders I have seen have advice about not putting them on a varnished surface.
Alternativly-if its a safety issue-contact consumer direct-if the item is inherantly dangerous?

mrcow

It's down to them being badly made (and cheap I guess). I've had this with cheaper tealights before in burners where the whole thing has got so hot that it has destroyed paintwork.

Only problem is that Ikea's customer service is bordering on useless much of the time.

Blacksheep1979

Kirsty_&_Pete wrote: »

Just wanted some advice on how to further my complaint - i am fully aware of the dangers of candles and how to use them properly and feel i am "justifying" the use of said candles and the fact that it burn't my mantlepiece rather than getting advice on how to complain !!!!!!!!!!!

well people are worried that your complaint has no substance and are trying to work out whether or not to tell you to not waste your time.

Basically Fire = hot, metal conducts heat and if you put that on something that can get damaged by heat... Of course people have successfully sued mcdonalds for hot coffee and hot apple pies...

part-timer

Have you tried contacting your local fire service to see if they have had any other incidents involving these candles - you should be able to get this information under the freedom of information act. May add "fuel to your fire" if you want to complain