A local resident had a scare after attempting to douse a candle flame which had grown too tall to blow out in her sink, causing a reaction between water and hot wax similar to water and a grease fire.--SCREENSHOT
newsdesk@medicinehatnews.com
A short public safety video message shared by the Medicine Hat Fire and Emergency Services is spreading awareness about the potential dangers of multiple wick candles after a local resident had a close call trying to put out her candle.
In the video, the local resident shared footage of her candle’s flame growing too high to safely blow out on her coffee table. The woman is then seen carrying the lit candle to her sink before turning on her tap and attempting to put out the flame with water.
Once the water hit the candle, it reacted with the hot wax and intently turned into a large flair-up, similar to the effects of water coming into contact with a grease fire.
Kelli Ireland, fire and life safety educator, says this is not a normal situation while burning candles and can become a dangerous situation very quickly.
“Three-wick candles should only really only be lit for about an hour at a time,” said Ireland. “Because the hotter the wax gets the more it melts and the more flammable it can become.”
Ireland says if you notice a candle flame is starting to grow to an unsafe height or is flickering wildly and unsafe to blow out, “grab a metal cooking sheet or a pot lid.”
Ireland says the most effective method of dosing the flame is by removing its oxygen supply by smothering the candle.
Firefighters also say if your candle begins to shoot up or begins to “look off,” blow it out immediately, keep candles away from anything that could catch on fire and always stay in the same room while they are burning.
The minute-long video can be viewed on the Medicine Hat Fire and Emergency Services’ social media pages. Firefighters say no injuries were reported.
