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

[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.