Hidden danger lurks in luxurious backyard fire pits as woman, 26, is rushed from dockside mansion with horrific injuries and others forced to jump into pool for relief
- Fire pit explosion puts woman, 26, in coma
- Five burned in Sydney beach house
- Ethanol fire pits can be potentially deadly
An ethanol fire pit has exploded during what should have been a merry Easter weekend celebration, leaving a young woman fighting for her life and four others suffering horrific burns.
Paramedics were called to Calvert Parade in Newport, Sydney’s Northern Beaches at about 5:30 p.m. on Easter Saturday, where a small group was having a meeting.
It is clear that the ethanol fire pit where they huddled exploded while it was being refilled.
Several guests were caught in the fireball and managed to dive into a nearby backyard pool, which paramedics said reduced the severity of their injuries.
But a 26-year-old woman suffered severe burns to her face, neck and chest and was rushed by ambulance to the Royal North Shore Hospital, where she was put into an induced coma.
A 26-year-old woman was one of five people burned by an explosion from a fire pit in the backyard of a home on Sydney’s Northern Beaches (pictured)
It is clear that the ethanol fire pit where they huddled blew up as it was being refilled (Photo: Ethanol Based Fire Pits)
The ethanol based fire pits are a popular alternative to traditional fire pits due to their ease of installation and less maintenance.
The fire pits became extremely popular due to their aesthetically pleasing sleek blue or orange tinted flames that danced over smooth rocks.
They are also practically odorless, but have been known to cause injuries.
Experts have warned of the risks of multiple serious burns from ethanol burners across Australia.
Ethanol is a volatile substance and the flame itself is often hard to see, leading people to refill the fuel while the burner is still burning or very hot, leading to something called “flame jetting.”
Flame jets occur when a container of flammable liquid meets an ignition source, resulting in flames shooting out almost like a blowtorch, engulfing bystanders.
A 2022 Fire Prevention Australia (FPA) report on heaters from 2010 to 2016 found that there were 117 reported incidents involving ethanol heaters resulting in 113 injuries and 36 residential fires.
The FPA said many of the incidents occurred when people were refilling the fire pits.
“When refilling the stoves, people often mistakenly assume that the fuel tank is empty and continue to fill the tank with fuel still in it,” the report said.
“The fuel vapor can ignite with an explosive effect.”
Consumers have been warned about the risks of ethanol burners following multiple severe burns across Australia
On March 17, 2017, after a spate of incidents, then Secretary of Small Business Michael McCormack issued a national tentative ban on the sale of certain ethanol heaters.
The interim ban was introduced after a 28-year-old Western Australian woman suffered severe burns to her face and body when an ethanol burner exploded in her backyard.
Around the same time, a similar incident occurred in Queensland where two people suffered severe, life-changing burns.
However, in July 2017, the ban was replaced by a new standard, the Consumer Goods (Decorative Alcohol Fueled Devices) Safety.
The standard meant that the heaters were required by law to be a permanent fixture, pass a European standard stability test, be supplied with a fuel container with a flame arrester or an automatic fuel pump system and visibly warn of the hazards of the product.