Firepot incidents spark calls for caution

A recent spate of injuries related to the use of ceramic firepots that use gel fuel have urged safety officials to issue pleas of caution for those who use the outdoor lamps.

Omahans injured Read this story from the Omaha World-Herald about a recent Omaha firepot incident. The story features comments from Debra Reilly, M.D., associate professor of surgery at UNMC and medical director of the burn center at The Nebraska Medical Center.

Firepots have grown in popularity because they emit a flame but do not put out large amounts of smoke like other outdoor flame lamps do.

But several incidents nationally, including one in Omaha during which three people were badly burned, highlight the danger of the lamps, and in particular the gel fuel.

Safety officials have compared the fuel to Napalm because of the way it sticks to and burns what it touches.