Lighter Fluids
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 940
Stable over 5 years
The verdict
Lighter Fluids carry a danger score of 40/100 (moderate risk), driven by roughly 2,012 ER-treated injuries a year that are roughly flat over the last five years.
- 40/100
- danger score (moderate risk)
- 2,012
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 16.1%
- end in hospital admission
- 15-24
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 940 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 40/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for lighter fluids - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume2,012 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)16.1%
- Fatality rate0.04%
- 5-year trend-4%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Lighter Fluids (CPSC product code 940, in the Home Workshop Tools & Equipment category) generate an estimated 2,012 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 40,233 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 40/100 for this category (moderate risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are roughly flat over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2006 (3,024 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2021 (1,513 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for lighter fluids is burns, thermal to the face, accounting for approximately 9,502 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by poisoning to the all parts body (8,806 cases). The 15-24 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 9,612 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 16.1% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer, and a small fraction (0.04%) result in fatality.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 2 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how lighter fluids 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 | 4,887 | 2,730 | |
| 5-14 | 1,768 | 707 | |
| 15-24 | 7,437 | 2,175 | |
| 25-34 | 5,301 | 2,362 | |
| 35-44 | 3,452 | 1,482 | |
| 45-54 | 3,120 | 930 | |
| 55-64 | 2,121 | 494 | |
| 65-74 | 693 | 184 | |
| 75+ | 303 | 93 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Face | Burns, Thermal | |
| All Parts Body | Poisoning | |
| Hand | Burns, Thermal | |
| Lower Arm | Burns, Thermal | |
| Lower Leg | Burns, Thermal | |
| Upper Trunk | Burns, Thermal | |
| Finger | Burns, Thermal | |
| Upper Arm | Burns, Thermal | |
| Upper Leg | Burns, Thermal | |
| Foot | Burns, Thermal | |
| Eyeball | Burn, Chemical | |
| Eyeball | Derma/conjunct | |
| All Parts Body | Burns, Thermal | |
| Neck | Burns, Thermal | |
| Hand | Burn, Chemical |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
71YOM COMES TO THE ER FOR BURNS. HE STATES HE WAS MANAGING A BRUSH FIRE FOR 2 HOURS AND ATTEMPTED TO PUT LIGHTER FLUID ON IT AND THE FIRE BURNED HIS LEG. HE HAS BURNS ON BOTH LOWER LEGS. EXAM SHOWS BLISTERS RIGHT SHIN WITH SKIN RED AND PAINFUL. LEFT LEG HAS A SMALL BURN, WITHOUT BLISTERS. WITH SKIN RED AND TENDER. DX: BURN LEG LEFT; BURN LEG RIGHT
2YOM PRESENTS AFTER HE DRANK A SMALL AMOUNT OF*** TORCH LIGHTER FLUID. DX: CORROSIVE INGESTION
10YOF HAD LIGHTER FLUID SPLASHED ON HER DRESS, THEN HER DRESS CAUGHT FIRE. FAMILY WAS GRILLING ON CHARCOAL OUTSIDE.NO FD ATTEND. DX: MULTPLE 2ND DEGREE B URNS TO THE RIGHT LOWER LEG AND LEFT THIGH.
52YOM STS WAS FILLING LIGHTER WITH LIGHTER FLUIDS AND FLUID RAN DOWN HAND SO WHEN HE LIT THE LIGHTER HIS HAND CAUGHT FIRE NO INFO ON IF FD PRESENT DX R HAND BURN
9 YOF INJ FACE BIL ARMS AND HANDS TOOK LIGHTER FLUID AND SQUIRTED IT INTO A FIRE FLAMES SHOT UP NO FD AT HOME DX MULT SECOND DEGREE BURNS NOSE BIL HANDS ;
21YOM PATIENT STATES THAT HE WAS OPENING A CAN OF GLYCOL WICK FUEL USING HIS TEETH WHEN HE ACCIDENTALLY SWALLOWED LIGHTER FLUID, HE EXPERIENCING LIGHT HEADEDNESS AND NAUSEA DX: CHEMICAL EXPOSURE
37 YOM WAS BURNING EXCESS WOOD IN A BURN BARREL, POURED SOME LITER FLUID OVER IT TO INCREASE THE FLAME LEADING TO A FLASH BURN INJURY. FD NS. DX: PARTIAL THICKNESS BURN OF MULTIPLE FINGERS OF RIGHT HAND.
47YOF WAS LIGHTING A CHRISTMAS TREE WITH LIGHTER FLUID IN HER FRONT YARD WHEN SHE SUSTAINED BURNS NOTHING STATED ABOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DX: BURNS INVOLVING 60-69% OF BODY SURFACE WITH 40-49% THIRD DEGREE BURNS
36 YOM ADDING LIGHTER FLUID TO FIRE, BLEW UP IN FACE, FD UNKNOWN DX THERMAL BURN FACE AND HANDS
22YOM PT POURED LIGHTER FLUID ONTO A HEATED GRILL, WIND BLEW & BURNED PT'S FACE; NO FD NOTED AT THE SCENE DX; BURN BY FIRE
50 YOM STATES THAT MONDAY, WHICH WAS 4 DAYS AGO, HE WAS GRILLING, HE SPILLED LIGHTER FLUID ON HIS FOOT AND THEN HE SMELLED THE BURNING AND NOTICED THAT HE HAD A BURN ON HIS LEFT FOOT. UNKNOWN FD DX 2ND DEGREE BURN
60YOM PRESENTS AFTER A FLASH BURN TO HIS ARM AND FACE AFTER DUMPING A GALLON OF LIGHTER FUEL ON AN OUTDOOR FIRE AT HOME AND IT EXPLODED. DX; FACIAL BURN
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
Over the past 2 yrs, every time I have purchased Ronsonol Lighter Fuel, the plastic bottle cracks under my grip, causing great potential safety issues due to the flammable nature of the liquid (8 fl.oz. bottle)
On Saturday, April 18, 2015, consumer was prepared to grill on his back deck. He used Frontier brand EcoStart Natural Lighter Fuel Gel ("EcoStart"), with charcoal. He prepared the grill and placed the bottle of Ecostart to the left of the grill. He then lit the charcoal with a lighter. He picked the bottle of EcoStart up to move it back to storage and as he did, the bottle started to whistle and before he could react, the bottle of EcoStart exploded. The burning fuel gel was ejected all over his upper body. He attempted to extinguish the flames with blankets and pillows, and his partner tried pouring liquids on him. It was several minutes before the flames were extinguished, and not before spreading to some additional objects, including his pants. He was rushed to the hospital where the doctors at the Burn Center determined that he had suffered second and third-degree burns to at least 15% of his total body.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to lighter fluids on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are lighter fluids?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, lighter fluids have a danger score of 40/100 (moderate risk). An estimated 2,012 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from lighter fluids?
The most common injury is burns, thermal to the face, accounting for approximately 9,502 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from lighter fluids increasing or decreasing?
Stable over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for lighter fluids injuries?
The 15-24 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 9,612 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by lighter fluids?
Of all ER visits involving lighter fluids, approximately 16.1% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (83.9%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with lighter fluids?
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 40/100 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 15-24 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.
