My (not me) former secretary had a terrible thing happen to her and her family last week, and I wanted to share it with all of you so that you could be warned and warn your friends and family as well. She had a gel candle burning in her bathroom ... it exploded and caught her house on fire. The house burned down and they lost everything.

The Fire Marshall told her that this is not the first incident where a gel candle has exploded and caused a fire. He said that the gel builds up a gas and often times it explodes and sets fire to the room it is in, which is what happened to her. The fire was so hot it melted the smoke alarm, and they didn't discover the fire until there was an explosion, which was her toilet blowing up, and then it was too late...the entire upstairs was engulfed in flames. Smoke damage and water damage have destroyed what wasn't destroyed by fire.

Please pass this along to anyone I missed. I wouldn't want this to happen to anyone else. Her family is deva! ! stated. All their mementos and everything of value and meaning are gone. Thanks and take care!

Note: Marty and I know a lady who loves the gel candles. She had one burning on her mantle and it caught fire just like the message above. She was at home at the time and saw it happen and grabbed the candle to keep it from setting her home on fire and it came apart in her hand. She saved her home but suffered 3rd degree burns to her hand and 3 fingers. Please if you or anyone you know have these candles, don't light them, they are dangerous. Please pass this along.

And as if those two stories weren't enough... My husband was home on vacation and had a gel candle lit on the top of the entertainment center. He too saw the candle burst into flames. His first instinct was to blow the candle out. Well, that didn't work, so he blew harder....the gel from the candle splattered and went everywhere. Everywhere included his face. He had 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree burns all over his face. The gel doesn't cool like wax does, so the bits that were still on his face continued to burn him. And you can't wipe the stuff off, it just rolls up and keeps burning. Please don't use gel candles. Fortunately his scars are not noticeable now, but the "what ifs" are tremendous.

We had a similar experience. I had received as a gift a gel candle from Avon. It was contained in a wine goblet, was sort of purple gel with glitter in the gel. We had it on our dresser in the bedroom. Once when it was burning, the entire solid turned to liquid and the glitter pieces "jumped" randomly out of the wine glass, taking drops of gel with it, getting all over the dresser and window curtain. A weird scene to say the least. Needless to say, I put the flame out and emptied the remaining liquefied gel into the toilet.