Liquid-Burning Firepits Leave Couple Dead, Dozens Injured: 'It Was Horrible'

Mar. 15, 2025

Liquid-Burning Fire Pits.Photo:US Consumer Product Safety Commission

US Consumer Product Safety Commission

Popular liquid-burning firepits have been named as the source behind the death of a New Hampshire couple and the injuries of others.

On Thursday, Dec. 19, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commissionissued a consumer alertpointing to the portable liquid-burning firepits as a “hazard” to consumers, saying the products “violate the requirements in voluntary safety standard ASTM F3363-19.”

“Stop using alcohol or other liquid-burning fire pits that violate voluntary standards and present flame jetting and fire hazards,” the message from the Consumer Product Safety Commission read. “Consumers should immediately stop using and dispose of these products. Sellers should stop selling these products."

Herm and Thelma Stolzenburg.Legacy.com

Legacy.com

In June, New Hampshire residents Herm and Thelma Stolzenburg were both engulfed in flames after a tabletop firepit shot out flames while they were sitting around with their family,CBS Newsreported.

The couple, who were both 93, tragically died a week after the fire left them with severe third-degree burns, according to the outlet.

According to CBS News, Katelyn Little from Massachusetts also found herself engulfed in flames but survived.

On Oct. 17, the Consumer Product Safety Commissionrecalledclose to 90,000 Colsen-branded firepits after dozens of people reported similar burn injuries.

“Use of the recalled fire pits can lead to injury quickly and unexpectedly, causing burns in less than one second, that can be serious and deadly,” the organization said in a message on its website.

source: people.com