The Recall Desk
Our severity:HighCPSC·12710·Announced 2012-01-05

Sterno Recalls 5 Hour Tea Lights Due to Fire and Burn Hazard

Sterno is recalling specific 5 Hour Tea Lights because the wax can overheat and catch fire, posing a burn and fire hazard. No injuries have been reported.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a risk-of-harm product (fire and burn hazard) where injury has not yet been reported, which corresponds to a score of 3 (High) per the rubric.

Plain-English summary

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Sterno are recalling Sterno Bulk Pack 5 Hour Tea Lights, item numbers 505TL and 505S. The recall involves approximately 10,000 cases of standard-sized, white wax tea light candles contained in small aluminum cups. The affected tea lights have codes ranging from 11060 to 11151, which are printed on the outside of the case and on the back of the box of 50.

The recall is being issued because the tea light wax can overheat, resulting in the wax catching fire. This poses a burn and fire hazard. Sterno has received several reports of the flame from the tea lights catching the wax on fire, but no reports of injuries have been received.

The recalled tea lights were sold in cases containing 500 candles (10 boxes of 50) to food service distributors and other restaurant supply stores nationwide from April 2011 through October 2011 for between $36 to $50 per case. The recalled tea lights were not sold to retail consumers. Food service distributors and restaurant supply stores have been directly notified about this recall by mail.

Consumers should stop using these candles immediately and return any unused candles to the place of purchase for a full refund. For additional information, contact Sterno toll-free at (877) 478-3766 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit www.sterno.com.

The recalled product

Product
5 Hour Tea Lights
Category
Consumer Product — Candles
Hazard
Affected units
10,000

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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