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

[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.