Alcohol Burning Fire Pit Lawsuit Update: Burn Risks, Recall Status, and Legal Options

Liquid-fuel tabletop fire pits have caused flame-jetting blasts and pool fires. Buyers and bystanders have suffered burns, some to the third degree. The brands involved include Colsen, FLIKRFIRE, Rozato, Northlight, Houswise, Five Below and Brookstone.

Most were sold on Amazon and other sites. Many lacked a flame arrestor, a part that stops fuel from shooting out during refueling. Regulators have issued several recalls and warnings rather than one nationwide order.

Lawyers are now filing injury claims on behalf of burned buyers. A named lawsuit accuses Amazon, Colsen and Gusar of selling a badly designed product. So far, no combined federal case has formed and no class action has been certified.

Latest Alcohol-Burning Fire Pit Lawsuit Updates

August 13, 2026: CPSC Recalls Brookstone Fire Pits

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalled about 48,700 Brookstone-branded tabletop fire pits. Southern Telecom Inc. of Brooklyn, New York, had imported them. CPSC cited pool-fire and flame-jetting burn risks [1].

Southern Telecom told CPSC about two reports of flame jetting or escaping flames. Both caused second- or third-degree burns. The fix is a refund of the purchase price.

August 5, 2026: Trevino Sues Amazon, Colsen and Gusar

Anthony Trevino sued Amazon, Colsen Fire Pits and Gusar in Superior Court of California, County of San Diego. He says a Colsen fire pit exploded as he refueled it on his balcony [2].

The complaint says the fuel container had no flame arrestor. It also says Amazon failed to warn him, despite the product’s earlier recall. Trevino seeks damages for his burns and lost income.

July 16, 2026: CPSC Warns Against Houswise Fire Pits

CPSC told people to stop using Houswise tabletop fire pits right away. The pits have been sold since March 2023.

More than two dozen reports of flame jetting or pool fires led to the warning, including seven injuries [3]. Some victims suffered third-degree burns. Maker Furmia LLC has not agreed to a recall or offered buyers a fix.

May 7, 2026: CPSC Warns Against Northlight Fireplaces

CPSC told people to stop using Northlight Bio Ethanol portable tabletop fireplaces right away. Stores selling them included Target and Walmart. The agency cited a risk of serious burn injury or death from flame jetting and fire [4].

Seller Gordon Companies Inc. declined to recall the product. It objected to CPSC’s public warning rather than offer buyers a refund or swap.

April 2, 2026: CPSC Warns Against Rozato Fire Pits

CPSC urged consumers to stop using Rozato tabletop fire pits. The pits have been sold online since 2022 and made in China. CPSC linked them to one death and many serious burns from flame jetting [5].

Seller Rozato never recalled the fire pits. It also never offered a refund or repair to buyers who had already bought one before the warning went out.

September 18, 2025: CPSC Recalls Five Below Fire Pits

CPSC recalled about 66,000 Five Below-branded tabletop fire pits nationwide [6]. Fuel could splash or leak from the reservoir during lighting. That could cause a flash fire.

The recall covers two models sold only at Five Below stores nationwide. Each has a steel fuel cup, a lid and a flame cover. The fix offered is a full cash refund.

December 19, 2024: CPSC Issues Category-Wide Alert

CPSC told shoppers to stop buying or using any alcohol- or other liquid-burning fire pit that breaks safety standard ASTM F3363-19 [7]. That standard exists to stop flame jetting and pool fires.

CPSC linked these products, taken together as a group rather than one brand, to two deaths. It also linked them to at least 60 burn injuries reported nationwide since 2019.

December 19, 2024: CPSC Warns Against FLIKRFIRE Fireplaces

That same day, CPSC also warned people to stop using FLIKRFIRE tabletop fireplaces. These are small bowls sold at Amazon and other stores from 2018 to 2024 for $35 to $105 [8].

CPSC linked flame jetting to a June 2024 death. It also linked flame jetting to three other serious burns. The maker is no longer in business and never offered a fix.

October 17, 2024: CPSC Recalls Colsen Fire Pits

CPSC recalled about 89,500 Colsen-branded fire pits, sold in seven shapes [9]. The recall followed 31 reports of flame jetting or flames escaping the container.

Those reports included 19 burn injuries. Two victims had third-degree burns over more than 40% of their bodies, and at least six needed surgery, hospital burn-unit care or long-term disability help.

December 21, 2023: Health Canada Warns Against Rubbing-Alcohol Fuel

Health Canada warned people not to fuel firepots with rubbing-alcohol products [10]. A container without a flame arrestor can cause flame jetting. That can lead to serious burns.

The advisory is still in effect today. It came almost a year before any CPSC action listed on this page, making it the earliest known official government warning about this specific hazard.

Who May Be Affected?

You may be affected by this litigation if you bought, got as a gift, or stood near a liquid-fuel tabletop fire pit while it was lit or refueled.

CPSC’s warnings say flame jetting can strike the person adding fuel or people standing nearby. So someone who never poured the fuel can still get burned.

Anthony Trevino was refueling his own fire pit on an apartment balcony when it exploded. Other reports describe people seated near a table fire pit rather than the person who lit it.

Buyers of any of the seven recalled or warned-about brands above may want a legal review of their case. So may anyone burned while near a similar liquid-fuel product.

A legal review looks at the exact product, purchase records and injury details, case by case. Owning or standing near a recalled fire pit alone does not decide the outcome.

Reported Injuries or Damages

Reported injuries include third-degree burns to the face, ears, neck, torso, arms, hands and fingers. These are the injuries Anthony Trevino describes in his complaint against Amazon, Colsen and Gusar.

The complaint says the Colsen fire pit’s fuel container caught fire as Trevino added more fuel to it. CPSC says the fuels involved can burn above 1,600°F. At that heat, they can cause third-degree burns in less than one second.

The American Burn Association groups burns like these as thermal “flame burns.” That group is separate from scald, contact, chemical or electrical burns [11].

A lawsuit’s claims alone are not proof that one product caused one injury; a court still has to weigh the evidence.

Recall and Regulatory Background

CPSC has recalled or warned against seven fire pit brands. Colsen, Five Below and Brookstone were recalled outright. FLIKRFIRE, Rozato, Northlight and Houswise remain under a public warning.

Their sellers have not agreed to a recall. Health Canada has separately warned against fueling firepots with rubbing alcohol since 2023.

See our tabletop fire pit recalls page for the full list. A recall or warning does not, by itself, establish liability.

Evidence to Preserve

Anyone thinking about a legal claim after a fire pit burn should save the following evidence right away:

• The fire pit itself, its fuel container, and any model, lot or serial markings
• Any unused fuel and its original bottle or box
• Purchase or delivery records, such as an Amazon order history or a store receipt
• Photos or video of the fire pit and the scene of the injury
• Medical records, bills and notes from every provider who treated the burn
• Burned clothing, furniture or other property damaged in the incident

Save this evidence before a damaged fire pit or its box gets thrown away. It helps keep the facts a lawyer would need to weigh the case.

Filing Deadlines

State law, rather than this page, sets deadlines for filing a fire pit burn injury claim. No single number of years applies to every case.

The clock can start on different dates depending on the reader’s state and the date of the burn itself. Some states start it on the injury date rather than a later recall or warning date.

Missing a filing deadline can end a claim, no matter how strong the facts are. So anyone thinking about a claim should talk to a lawyer soon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Alcohol-Burning Fire Pits?

Alcohol-burning fire pits are small devices that burn a liquid fuel, such as isopropyl alcohol or ethanol, poured into an open bowl. CPSC says this pour-and-light design can cause pool fires and flame jetting, hazards not found in solid-fuel or gas fire pits.

Is There an Alcohol Burning Fire Pit Lawsuit or Recall Underway?

Yes, there is both an alcohol burning fire pit lawsuit and a recall underway. CPSC and Health Canada have taken nine separate actions against this hazard since 2023. Anthony Trevino’s suit against Amazon, Colsen and Gusar is pending in California state court.

What Is Flame Jetting?

Flame jetting happens when someone refuels a fire pit while any flame is still present, igniting the vapor inside the fuel container and causing it to jet or explode. CPSC calls this hazard separate from a pool fire, where fuel already poured spreads and burns across a wider area.

Is There an Alcohol Burning Fire Pit Lawsuit Class Action or MDL?

No, there is no alcohol burning fire pit lawsuit class action or MDL. The JPML’s pending docket list, current as of September 1, 2026, lists no fire-pit case. Instead, people are filing suits one by one, including Trevino’s case in California state court.

Why Are Alcohol-Burning Fire Pits Dangerous?

Alcohol-burning fire pits are dangerous because their flames can be hard to see in daylight. A person may pour more fuel into a pit that looks out but is not. CPSC says most of these products break voluntary standard ASTM F3363-19, made to stop that hazard.

What Does Burn Injury Research Show About Fire Pits?

Burn injury research shows fire pit burns fall into the flame-burn group. That is the same group as burns from house fires or blasts, not scalds or chemical harm, per the American Burn Association.

Does a Fire Pit Recall Mean I Can Sue?

A fire pit recall does not, by itself, mean you can sue. Trevino was burned on September 17, 2025, about a year after Colsen’s October 2024 recall, and a legal review would weigh that timing along with proof of a defect and an injury.

References

1. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2026/Southern-Telecom-Recalls-Brookstone-Branded-Tabletop-Fire-Pits-Due-to-Risk-of-Serious-Burn-Injury-or-Death-from-Flame-Jetting-and-Fire-Hazards
2. https://timesofsandiego.com/life/2026/08/06/lawsuit-amazon-third-degree-burns-tabletop-fire-pit/
3. https://www.cpsc.gov/Warnings/2026/CPSC-Warns-Consumers-to-Stop-Using-Houswise-Tabletop-Fire-Pits-Immediately-Due-to-Risk-of-Serious-Burn-Injury-or-Death-from-Flame-Jetting-and-Fire-Hazards
4. https://www.cpsc.gov/Warnings/2026/CPSC-Warns-Consumers-to-Stop-Using-Northlight-Bio-Ethanol-Portable-Tabletop-Fireplaces-Immediately-Due-to-Risk-of-Serious-Burn-Injury-or-Death-from-Flame-Jetting-and-Fire-Hazards
5. https://www.cpsc.gov/Warnings/2026/CPSC-Warns-Consumers-to-Stop-Using-Rozato-Tabletop-Fire-Pits-Immediately-Due-to-Flame-Jetting-and-Fire-Hazards-One-Death-and-Serious-Burn-Injuries-Reported
6. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Five-Below-Recalls-Tabletop-Fire-Pits-Due-to-Risk-of-Serious-Burn-Injury-from-Flame-Jetting-and-Fire-Hazards
7. https://www.cpsc.gov/Warnings/2025/Consumer-Alert-Stop-Using-Alcohol-or-Other-Liquid-Burning-Fire-Pits-That-Violate-Voluntary-Standards-and-Present-Flame-Jetting-and-Fire-Hazards-Two-Deaths-and-Dozens-of-Serious-Burn-Injuries-Reported
8. https://www.cpsc.gov/Warnings/2025/CPSC-Urges-Consumers-to-Stop-Using-FLIKRFIRE-Tabletop-Fireplaces-Due-to-Flame-Jetting-and-Fire-Hazards-Two-Deaths-and-Serious-Burn-Injuries-Reported
9. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Colsen-Recalls-Fire-Pits-Due-to-Risk-of-Serious-Burn-Injury-from-Flame-Jetting-and-Fire-Spreading-Hazards
10. https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/health-canada-warns-against-using-rubbing-alcohol-products-fuel-firepots-can-result
11. https://www.ameriburn.org/patients/common-types-of-burns