A recent candle fire has made an impression on me, so I want to pass along a safety tip.
I saw a jar candle actually burst into flames while visiting in someone’s home over the weekend. The fire became large enough to do some minor damage to other items in the seconds that it took for me to cross the room. Luckily, no major damage was done and nobody was hurt.
The cause was a mystery until I picked up the blackened jar after it cooled. There were about two dozen matches in the bottom. Mystery solved. The matches were used to light the candle each time it was used, then dropped inside. They accumulated in the bottom as the wax burned down. When the wax got low the flames ignited the matches…and an unbelievably large flame was created. The jar became hot enough to melt a hole through the place mat underneath and scorch papers that were not in direct contact.
Please, never drop your matches into jar candles. Those little bits of paper add up and become kindling – not something you want in your home decor. Stay safe!

Follow Us