Fuels For Chafing Dishes Or Fondue Pots
Twenty years of CPSC NEISS emergency-room records for this consumer product category, combined with demographic breakdowns, multi-year injury trends, and matching recall notices.
Home Workshop Tools & Equipment · CPSC Code 941
Up 86% over 5 years
The verdict
Fuels For Chafing Dishes Or Fondue Pots carry a danger score of 34/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 105 ER-treated injuries a year that are rising by about 86% over the last five years.
- 34/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 105
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 5.2%
- end in hospital admission
- 55-64
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 941 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 34/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for fuels for chafing dishes or fondue pots - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume105 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)5.2%
- Fatality rate0.00%
- 5-year trend+86%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Fuels For Chafing Dishes Or Fondue Pots (CPSC product code 941, in the Home Workshop Tools & Equipment category) generate an estimated 105 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 1,989 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 34/100 for this category (low risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are rising by about 86% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2023 (227 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2010 (17 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for fuels for chafing dishes or fondue pots is poisoning to the all parts body, accounting for approximately 428 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by burns, thermal to the hand (290 cases). The 55-64 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 342 cases over the NEISS window, and males appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 5.2% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 4 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how fuels for chafing dishes or fondue pots fail in real households. Every figure on this page comes from CPSC-published data: NEISS projects national estimates from a probability sample of about 100 U.S. hospital emergency departments, while SaferProducts.gov collects voluntary reports from consumers, manufacturers, and clinicians. The danger score, trend indicators, and demographic breakdowns update automatically when CPSC releases a new yearly NEISS file, which is why this page is dated 2024-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2024)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 240 | 68 | |
| 5-14 | 127 | 78 | |
| 15-24 | 91 | 75 | |
| 25-34 | 196 | 110 | |
| 35-44 | 135 | 108 | |
| 45-54 | 186 | 55 | |
| 55-64 | 184 | 158 | |
| 65-74 | 89 | 75 | |
| 75+ | 0 | 17 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| All Parts Body | Poisoning | |
| Hand | Burns, Thermal | |
| All Parts Body | Anoxia | |
| Lower Leg | Burns, Thermal | |
| Finger | Burns, Thermal | |
| Eyeball | Other | |
| Foot | Burn, Scald | |
| Lower Arm | Burns, Thermal | |
| Lower Trunk | Burns, Thermal | |
| Foot | Burns, Thermal | |
| Hand | Burn, Scald | |
| Face | Burns, Thermal | |
| Lower Arm | Burn, Scald | |
| Upper Trunk | Other | |
| Ear | Burns, Thermal |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
33 YOM LIT A CAN OF *** WHICH FELL ONTO HIS FOOT. DX: FULL THICKNESS BURN LEFT FOOT
41YOM, WAS PUTTING A CASE OF *** INTO THE TRUNK OF HIS TRUCK 3 NIGHTS AGO, WHEN HE SLIPPED ON ICE AND FELL, LANDED ONTO RIGHT RIBS, NO HEAD STRIKE OR LOC, DX: RIB PAIN
71YOM WAS MAKING SOUP AND SPILLED THE POT ONTO HIS RIGHT ARM, LOWER ABDOMEN, AND RIGHT THIGH DX: SCALD BURNS
62 YOM C/O EYE PAIN/INJURY S/P ACCIDENTALLY SPLASHED *** FLUID IN EYE. DX: EYE PAIN; CHEMICAL INJURY OF EYE
3YOM PRESENTED TO ED C/O POSSIBLE TOXIC INGESTION, PT FATHER STATED HE WAS PLAYING WITH A UNLIT *** AT A WEDDING. DX; N/S
5YOM PRESENTED TO ED C/O POSSIBLE TOXIC INGESTION, PT FATHER STATED HE WAS PLAYING WITH A UNLIT ***S AT A WEDDING. DX; N/S
58YOF WAS AT A PICNIC, LIT A SOLID FUEL WAX TO HEAT UP FOOT, WAS UNAWARE WAX HAD LIT AND SPILLED IT DOWN HER LEG, THEN REACHED WITH RT HAND TO CLEAN UP WAX AND SUSTAINED BURNS TO HAND, DX THERMAL BURN TO HAND AND LEG, NO F.D. NOTED
55YOF BURN TO L PALM, R HAND, ABD AND THIGH WHEN A LIT *** FELL LANDING ON PT. AT FRIENDS HOUSEDX BURN PALM, BURN HAND 2ND DEGREE
25YOF WITH ACCIDENTAL THERMAL BURN TO LEFT ANKLE, WAS LIGHTING A CAN OF CHAFING FUEL FOR FOOD WARMER AND IT SPILLED ONTO HER ANKLE. DX: SECOND DEGREE BURN OF LEFT ANKLE
58YOM PRESENTS WITH BURN WOUND TO THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS BODY. PATIENT STATES HE WAS USING A *** BURNER TO KEEP WARM IN HIS CAR WHEN IT SLIPPED ON HIM. DX: 3RD DEGREE BURN, SECOND DEGREE BURN TO UPPER EXTREMITY
36 YOM AWOKE WITH PERIORBITAL SWELLING AND STATES HE MAY HAVE HIT HIS HEAD ON A FIRE CAN (SOURCE OF HEAT) WHICH WAS IN HIS TENT. DX: LEFT FACIAL SWELLING. PT LEFT AGAINST MEDICAL ADVICE.
20MOF LICKED TOP OF A ***. UNKNOWN IF INGESTED, PT STUCK TONGUE OUT AND MOTHER WIPED GELL OFF TONGUE. PC CONTACTED AND RECOMMEND ED VISITDX POSSIBLE INGESTION OF *** GEL
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
Members Mark 6Hr Safe Heat Chafing Fuel. The product fire does not go out when we place the cap back on and on one occasion blew out the side of the canister starting a table on fire. Not a major fire and was put out with no issues or injuries. We are a buisness so we discarded the lot that we purchased and purchase a different product to avoid issues again. only numbers available are 052224 0640 M3
The consumer says she opened the can and sat it on the floor. She lit it with a lighter and there was a loud pop sound, she dropped the lighter on the floor subconsciously. The contents exploded when she lit it. There were multiple fires on her kitchen floor. She suffered second degree burns to her upper right hand and foot and also first degree burns on her right leg. She said her house guests put out the fire, yet it was difficult to put out. The consumer says she was treated at Upstate University Hospital in New York. The consumer contacted the retailer and requested that they take this product off the shelves but they refused.
I ordered Swissmar Swiss Fire Gel fondue pot fuel. It arrived damaged and leaking flammable fuel due to poor internal packaging
While cooking a quiche the oven just shut off. Saw smoke from stove, pulled quiche out off oven than pulled stove away from the wall. When pulling stove away from wall saw sparks and flames unplugged from electrical outlet . When it cooled off I had my husband take the back metal panel off and notice many parts of the unit burned.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to fuels for chafing dishes or fondue pots on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are fuels for chafing dishes or fondue pots?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, fuels for chafing dishes or fondue pots have a danger score of 34/100 (low risk). An estimated 105 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from fuels for chafing dishes or fondue pots?
The most common injury is poisoning to the all parts body, accounting for approximately 428 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from fuels for chafing dishes or fondue pots increasing or decreasing?
Up 86% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for fuels for chafing dishes or fondue pots injuries?
The 55-64 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 342 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by fuels for chafing dishes or fondue pots?
Of all ER visits involving fuels for chafing dishes or fondue pots, approximately 5.2% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (94.8%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with fuels for chafing dishes or fondue pots?
You can file a consumer incident report at SaferProducts.gov, the official CPSC reporting portal. Reports help the CPSC identify emerging hazards and trigger investigations or recalls. You can also call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
Related Products in Home Workshop Tools & Equipment
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 34/100 score as relative risk between products, not your personal odds of injury.
- See where this category ranks against every other tracked product. Full rankings
- Injuries cluster in the 55-64 age group, take extra care if that describes your household.
- Check for active recalls on this product before you assume it is safe. CPSC recalls
NEISS estimates ER-treated injuries from a national probability sample of hospitals; they do not capture injuries treated elsewhere or not treated at all.
Data: CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments. This page is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the CPSC.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, scored, and verified.
