Portable Gas Or Lp Heaters
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.
Kitchen Small Appliances & Housewares · CPSC Code 391
Stable over 5 years
The verdict
Portable Gas Or Lp Heaters carry a danger score of 42/100 (moderate risk), driven by roughly 572 ER-treated injuries a year that are roughly flat over the last five years.
- 42/100
- danger score (moderate risk)
- 572
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 26.2%
- end in hospital admission
- 55-64
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 391 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 42/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for portable gas or lp heaters - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume572 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)26.2%
- Fatality rate0.00%
- 5-year trend-8%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Portable Gas Or Lp Heaters (CPSC product code 391, in the Kitchen Small Appliances & Housewares category) generate an estimated 572 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 11,446 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 42/100 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 2016 (1,104 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2007 (140 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for portable gas or lp heaters is anoxia to the all parts body, accounting for approximately 3,415 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by burns, thermal to the hand (1,549 cases). The 55-64 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 2,354 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 26.2% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 55 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how portable gas or lp heaters 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 | 787 | 476 | |
| 5-14 | 330 | 293 | |
| 15-24 | 412 | 735 | |
| 25-34 | 565 | 239 | |
| 35-44 | 1,257 | 584 | |
| 45-54 | 1,089 | 307 | |
| 55-64 | 1,751 | 603 | |
| 65-74 | 1,188 | 56 | |
| 75+ | 400 | 372 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| All Parts Body | Anoxia | |
| Hand | Burns, Thermal | |
| Face | Burns, Thermal | |
| Upper Leg | Burns, Thermal | |
| Lower Trunk | Burns, Thermal | |
| Upper Trunk | Burns, Thermal | |
| Lower Leg | Burns, Thermal | |
| All Parts Body | Poisoning | |
| Finger | Burns, Thermal | |
| Lower Arm | Burns, Thermal | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Eyeball | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Foot | Burns, Thermal | |
| 25-50% Of Body | Burns, Thermal | |
| Wrist | Burns, Thermal |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
36YOM FOR EVAL OF BURNS. HE WAS USING A PROPANE HEATER IN HIS TRUCK TO HEAT SOME TEA TODAY. THE CYLINDER SOMEHOW CAUGHT FIRE & BURNED HIS BILATERAL ARMS/HANDS & FACE. NO SIGNIFICANT SMOKE & WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. HAD BEEN BURNING IT FOR ABOUT 2 MIN. DX: PARTIAL THICKNESS BURN
73YOM ADMITS TO LIGHTING A PROPANE HEATER INSIDE THE HOME AND IT BLOWS UP, WAS IN THE KITCHEN, DID NOT REALIZE THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE PIPE, BLISTERS TO RIGHT HAND AND FLAMES BURNING RIGHT EYEBROW. NO INFORMATION ON FIRE DEPT. BEING CALLED TO HOME. DX: BURNS RIGHT WRIST AND HANDS
62 YOM INJ FACE TRYING TO LIGHT PROPANE HEATER IF SUDDENLY FLASHED AT HOME DX LARGE CORNEAL ABRASION RT EYE
26YOM C/O GENERAL MALAISE,SOB,TRANSIENT HEADACHE,PURPLISH DISCOLORATION ON HIS HAND,FATIGUE,&NAUSEA BEGINNING THIS AFTERNOON.PT SLEPT IN A CAMPER OVERNIGHT&HAD THE FURNACE ON.STS THAT HE WENT BACK TO THE CAMPER&SMELLED PROPANE. SYMPTOMS HAVE PROGRESSIBELY WORSENED. DX: DYSPNEA
18YOM WAS STAYING IN AN ENCLOSED SPACE THAT WAS HEATED BY A PROPANE HEATER FOR THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS AND DEVELOPED CONFUSION, HEADACHE, DYSPENA, AND MENTAL STATUS CHANGES DX: PUTATICE CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING
59YOF WITH BURN TO HER RIGHT HAND. SHE WAS WITH PUPPY OUTSIDE EARLY THIS MORNING WHEN SHE TRIPPED AND STUMBLED AND CAUGHT HERSELF ON AN ADJACENT PROPANE HEATER. STATES SHE TOUCHED HER HAND TO THE TOP OF THE HEATER ANBD HAS A BURN TO HER PALM. DX: BURN OF HAND
67 YOF LIGHTHEADED, HEADACHE SLEEPING W/PROPAINE HEATER DX; ACCIDENTAL CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING
44YOM PRESENTS WITH CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING AFTER SLEEPING IN HIS CAR LAST NIGHT AND HAD A PROPANE HEATER ON, CARBOXYHEMOGLOBIN=2.5 DX: POSSIBLE CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING
9YOM, BURN RIGHT HAND, FOREARM, RIGHT SIDE ABDOMEN, CHILD SWEATSHIRT CAUGHT FIRE, GOT TOO CLOSE TO PROPANE HEATER, NO FIRE DEPT DX 2ND DEGREE BURN RIGHT HAND & FOREARM
59YOF C/O BILATERAL EYE PAIN AND SENSITIVITY TO LIGHT S/P PT LIGHT A PROPANE HEATER AND A FLAME BURST OUT OF IT IN FRONT OF HER FACE. NO MENTION OF FIRE DEPARTMENT. DX: VISUAL DISTURBANCE; EYE PAIN
85 YOM WAS SEATED AT DINNER WHEN THE WIND BLEW OVER A PROPANE HEATER THAT FELL DIRECTLY ON HIS HEAD AND THEN HIT HIS SHOULDER. DX: CONCUSSION, CONTUSION OF SCALP
4 YOF PRESENTS WITH 20% TBSA AFTER A PROPANE HEATER EXPLODED WHILE THEY WERE INSIDE THEIR TRAILER WHERE THEY LIVE. MULTIPLE FAMILY MEMBERS ARE INJURED. +BURNS FACE, UPPER TRUNK, ARMS AND BILATERAL LOWER LEGS. FS NS. DX: PARENTING PROBLEM, BURN INVOLVING 20-29% OF BODY SURFACE WITH THIRD DEGREE BURN OF 10-19%, 24.4 % MIXED FULL AND PARTIAL THICKNESS FLAME BURNS SUFFERED IN A TRAILER FIRE.
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
April 12, 2010, in Madison County, Illinois, [redacted], age 56, died and his son, [redacted], age 24, was injured while sleeping in a camper from carbon monoxide from a Coleman PowerMate 5045 propane heater.
June 21, 2009, in Cache County, Utah, [redacted], age 28, and [redacted], age 10, died in a tent while using a Coleman Powermate 5017 propane heater.
I purchased a Coleman Perfect Flo Instastart camping stove (model # 2000006510) and used it for the first time while camping over the Labor Day weekend, Sept 2012. The instructions that come with the stove indicate that the ignition button may need to be pressed several times before the burner will light. The problem is that propane is flowing while the button is being pressed repeatedly. By the time the burner lights, there is a lot of propane in the air and there is a big burst of flame that could easily burn the person trying to light the burner or someone standing nearby.
I bought a Fitzwilliam 41,000 BTU Propane Standing Patio Heater through wayfair. https://www.wayfair.com/outdoor/pdp/latitude-run-fitzwilliam-41000-btu-propane-standing-patio-heater-w006602309.html?&experiencetype=2&selectedvertical=2 After just 2 months of minimal use and moving it on my deck, the wheels begin to bend and it became uneven. I reached out for replacement wheels and they were sent. I then tried to replace the wheels and realized that where the wheels attached to the body of the product is extremely unstable and erodes easily. I reached out again to the manufacturer and they said they can't help us because it's been over 3 months. I believe a product that costs $300 and deals with fire and proprane should last longer than 3 months. I moved it on 8/17/2022 and one of the wheels just snapped right off. I was lucky that I caught the product instead of having it come crashing down with the glass encase.
Caller stated that the warning label on the portable propane heater is insufficient. He stated that the appropriate details are not on the unit and the warnings are not in the appropriate location. Caller stated that due the missing information he operated the propane heater without opening a window which caused CO poisoning. Caller stated that there were no model or serial numbers listed. Caller feels that this heater poses a safety hazard and should be recalled.
Mr. Heater killed my parents carbon dioxide accident
After lighting the 16000 but propane tank top heater it made a loud sound light a jet burner and shot a flame forward out of the screened area.
Dyna-glo 360 degree tank top heater, sold at Home Depot. Temporary garage type propane heater. Units have a tip-over safety switch, which is suppose to turn unit off. Tip-over switch can melt, making unit un-able to turn off if unit is tipped over, causing a fire hazard.
Showing 8 of 55 reports.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to portable gas or lp heaters on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are portable gas or lp heaters?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, portable gas or lp heaters have a danger score of 42/100 (moderate risk). An estimated 572 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from portable gas or lp heaters?
The most common injury is anoxia to the all parts body, accounting for approximately 3,415 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from portable gas or lp heaters increasing or decreasing?
Stable over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for portable gas or lp heaters injuries?
The 55-64 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 2,354 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by portable gas or lp heaters?
Of all ER visits involving portable gas or lp heaters, approximately 26.2% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (73.8%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with portable gas or lp heaters?
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 Kitchen Small Appliances & Housewares
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 42/100 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.
