Just how dangerous are ethanol-fueled tabletop firepots, anyway?

[robkelk]

Health Canada has issued a warning about some ethanol-fueled tabletop firepots.

This week, Health Canada alerted consumers, retailers and manufacturers that certain types of firepots and portable fireplaces are now prohibited; they pose a danger to human health and safety.

So far, the government has not specified which brands or models are dangerous.

So, just what's the issue here?



Oh.

Australia has banned tabletop ethanol devices.

I think I can see why.

[Black Aeronaut]

Yeesh.

I guess most folks never heard of why firefighters really hate dealing with ethanol fires - you can't even see the flames half the time. Not to be a victim blamer here, but is it a thing nowadays that they never cover ethanol fuel sources in high school chemistry classes? Because IIRC spirit lamps are still a thing.

[classicdrogn]

That is an image of someone intentionally doing the stupidest possible thing, refilling one while it is lit, causing a fuel-air explosion inside the bottle so it spurts out. That's not to say people don't do that unintentionally, but "people are stupid" as the reason we can't have nice things is one of the leading reasons for having concluded that the average innate value of human life is a negative number..

[Black Aeronaut]

Part of the problem is that the devices don't have any documentation warning against this (that is, warning that ethanol flames can be invisible and great care should be taken to ensure the flame is out for certain before refueling the pot). Also, there are some simple safety devices that could have been employed to help mitigate this sort of happening. So in that, the manufacturers are at fault.

[hazard]

Also, this is why you are supposed to be very careful around fire when you are handling liqour, and more so the higher the proof.

Just saying.

[Dartz]

I kind of want one now....

...for no specific reason

[robkelk]

Part of the problem is that the devices don't have any documentation warning against this (that is, warning that ethanol flames can be invisible and great care should be taken to ensure the flame is out for certain before refueling the pot).  Also, there are some simple safety devices that could have been employed to help mitigate this sort of happening.  So in that, the manufacturers are at fault.

True that.

And there's a section titled "How to use safely" at the very end of the article that I linked to in the OP.

The Ontario Fire Marshal said it is possible to refuel an ethanol-fuelled device safely, but it requires special care, which is not widely understood. The office makes three important recommendations:

1. Leave the device off for at least 30 minutes before refuelling, and make sure it's cold to the touch.

2. Refuel away from people.

3. Use a fuel canister with a flame arrestor, a small mesh insert that prevents flame-jetting. Most ethanol containers currently on the market do not have flame arrestors. "I've been to Home Hardware and bought a jug of ethanol and it's basically just sold in a vinegar container. There's really no safety measures at all," said Jim McGorman. Consumers are advised to ask retailers for a container with a flame arrestor.

[Black Aeronaut]

I kind of want one now....

...for no specific reason

..... You know, now that I think of it.....

..... Yup, here we go.

https://texasalmanac.com/topics/culture/...ish-texans

My mother has a cousin who is nicknamed "Cousin Red".  I'll give you three guesses why, and the first two don't count.  :V