The Korea Consumer Agency announced on the 15th that it, along with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Fire Agency, has issued a consumer safety advisory regarding ethanol fireplaces.
Ethanol fireplaces are products that create flames by burning ethanol to decorate surrounding spaces. Recently, the trend of "fire gazing"—simply enjoying the flames—has become popular, leading to their increased use in tents or within dwellings during camping.
As the number of consumers using ethanol fireplaces increases, related fire incidents are occurring continuously, necessitating caution among consumers.
Major fire incidents related to ethanol fireplaces have occurred when users mistakenly thought there was no flame due to poor visibility in bright areas and refueled the fireplace. Other incidents include cases where ignition occurred while the concentration of vapor was elevated indoors or within the fireplace, and cases where a fireplace tipped over and led to significant fires due to spilled fuel.
The Korea Consumer Agency, along with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Fire Agency, urged safe usage of ethanol fireplaces by noting to: ▲ be careful not to tip over the product, ▲ refrain from refueling while it is burning or hot, ▲ use dedicated extinguishing tools instead of water, and ▲ ensure regular ventilation, avoiding use in enclosed spaces.
The three agencies plan to produce and distribute promotional posters containing safety guidelines for preventing ethanol fireplace fire incidents to consumer organizations and related retailers.