Gel candles spark CPSC recall

Household & Personal Products Industry, June, 2008

* The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) of Washington, D.C. announced a voluntary recall of gel candles manufactured by M & A Global Technologies Inc., doing business as Spa at Home, Tallahassee, FL. According to the CPSC, the candles can have excessive flame height--posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

About 1,700 units have been sold at Spa at Home stores and Spaathome.com nationwide from October 2003 through December 2003 and October 2005 through December 2005 for between $9 and $50. The recall is an expansion of an earlier one announced in February 2007.

M & A Global Technologies has received four additional reports of higher than normal flames and flames coming in contact with nearby combustibles resulting in minor fires, smoke and soot damage. The company has also received one additional report of burn injuries to a consumer's hand.