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Brandon Christiansen had third-degree burns on both hands. In the year or so since the fireplace accident, he's had three skin grafts. A fourth operation is scheduled for next month.
Shari Christiansen will never forget that cold October day when her 13-month old son Brandon started screaming.
“It was the worst scream I’ve ever heard. It was just bloodcurdling,” Christiansen says.
The toddler had scampered up to the gas fireplace in the family’s Spokane, Wash., home and touched the scalding hot glass.
"He was stuck, hands pressed up against the glass,” his mom remembers. “And I just ran as fast as I could and I just grabbed him and peeled him off.”
Brandon had third-degree burns on both hands. In the year or so since the accident, he’s had three skin grafts. A fourth operation is scheduled for next month.
"It's horrible," Christiansen says."You never want to see your kid go through something like that."
It’s estimated that hundreds of kids in this country are seriously burned each year by the super-heated glass on gas fireplaces. That glass can reach 500 degrees or more.
“These burns are devastating because they don’t heal well and they cause of lot of scars,” explains Dr. Mike Gittelman, an emergency room pediatrician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. “They can be life-altering.”
Toddlers are naturally attracted to flames. They move so quickly, parents can't always stop them in time. But the danger doesn't go away as soon as the fire is turned off. The glass stays extremely hot long after the flames are gone.
Just a few weeks ago in Seattle, 9-month old Mackenzie Spellman burned himself on a gas fireplace that had been off for more than an hour. He was lucky; the blisters on all of his fingers will heal.
“You never think it’s going to happen to you,” says Erika Spellman. “And I know my husband and I are great parents and it happened to us. So you just have to be careful because these little guys are so fast.”
Pediatrician Beth Ebel is director of the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center in Seattle. She sees these burns all winter long.
“It breaks our hearts,” she says. “We take care of child after child, those little burned palms.”
At first glance, it would seem that these terrible accidents could be prevented with better supervision. Dr. Ebel cautions against blaming the parents who may be unaware of the danger. In fact, they may think the unit is safe because the fire is contained and not accessible to their child.
“These burns occur in a split second,” she explains, “and no parent can watch an inquisitive toddler every instant.”
Safety experts believe this is a design problem that must be addressed by the manufactures.
Right now there are no federal regulations that require manufacturers to protect kids (or anyone else) from the hot fireplace glass. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has been asked to do that. But right now, the CPSC is allowing the industry to develop a fix.
“We feel like they are on the right path,” says CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson. “And they can do it a lot faster than we could via the regulatory process.”
The industry has proposed new safety standards that would require all new gas fireplaces to come with a barrier that keeps hands and fingers away from the hot glass. In most cases, this would be a screen of some kind that attaches to the frame around the glass.
“We’re encouraged because we think we’ve come up with a really good physical barrier,” says Jack Goldman, president of the Hearth, Barbecue & Patio Association. “You will not get a burn from touching the screen, even though maybe an inch away is the glass that is hot.”
If the standard is approved, installers would be required to attach the screen or other barrier that comes with the fireplace before they leave the house. These screens would not block the view of the flames, so the fireplace has the same ambiance – it’s just a lot safer.
Two big companies already offer safety screens. A few years ago, Hearth and Home Technologies made safety screens standard of all of its gas fireplaces.
“Our goal is not only to keep little hands safe, but to create consumer awareness around fireplace safety,” says company PR manager Matt Hareldson. “We strongly encourage other manufacturers to follow our lead in this effort.”
Lennox
The Lennox Safety Guard was developed to settle a class action lawsuit.
The Lennox Safety Guard was developed to settle a class action lawsuit. It’s available for both new units and those already installed. (Click here to order your free Safety Guard.)
The consumer advocates I’ve spoken to prefer a barrier that’s part of the fireplace, so it does not need to be installed and cannot be removed. But they seem willing to watch and wait to see if the industry’s proposed fix works.
“We’ll need to see if these screens are being attached by the installer and if not, we’ll have to push for federal regulations,” says Rachel Weintraub, director of product safety at the Consumer Federation of America.
If you already have a gas fireplace, burn prevention experts encourage you to buy a free-standing screen that goes in front of your fireplace. Most fireplace shops sell them for $100 or less. They’re not perfect, but they’re better than nothing.
The Christiansen’s now have a barrier in front of their fireplace. Shari encourages other parents to realize the danger and guard against it.
"I don't want to see another child go through what Brandon is going through. I want everybody to learn from this and protect their children."
More info:
Fireplace and Glass Stove Safety
Consumer Reports: Dangers of Fireplace Glass
Leave a Comment:
Whatever happened to play pens? My mom used to stick us in there for hours. It kept us safe. Is it now considered cruel to not let a child run around and do whatever they want? Fireplaces and children have both been around for quite some time. Why has it not been a serious problem until now?
I completely agree. My parents had a real fireplace and it was never a danger to me because they were smart and never allowed me in that room unattended or out of a play pen.
What ever happened to watching your child and teaching them HOT! HOT! NO TOUCH
As sad as this is, I can not help it but make the parents responsible and nobody else! I sure hope there is not another wave of BS law suits by BS lawyers who want to make a buck.
You have a fireplace in the house - you are responsible for it - end of story. Stop trying to blame your idiocy on others and on manufacturers.
Sorry the parents are 100% to blame here.
I fear the government that wants to tell us what kind of light bulbs to use and what to pack in our child's lunch box will soon be attempting to outlaw fireplaces in the name of "safety".
Children and fires have coexisted since the cave man, yet suddenly it is a huge problem.
If the govt tried to stop food processors from using cyanide in their products, you'd be the sort to still complain about it.
ag, you're a moron
Been looking at your page, troop. Looks like "moron" is your go-to word when you can't find anything interesting to say. You can find a thesaurus online these days.
Gary 420
The real heart of the problem with children , when ti comes to guns and fire places is a simple one. The parents are not being good , watchful, and alert parents. With fire places and guns the parents must prepare for the unexpected as well try to out think them. Kids are spontaneous creatures and always do the unexpected. Baby gates should have been put up so the child can not get close to the fire place or into the same room alone. I also agree with the use of play pens and or some kind of fencing to be used as the child grows and becomes more independent. As for guns lock them in a safe and unloaded period.
This is what happens when you raise a generation or two of people who have never had to be responsible for their own actions and believe it is always someone else fault for bad things that happen.
You hit the nail right on the head with that one. The trial lawyers just love it though.
AG99-
So food companies are using cyanide in their processing? Please tell me more.
Oh ya, they do it so they can get sued and loose their business.
Good grief, what are we coming to? One of the first things kids should learn from their parents is Hot!---Hot!---Hot! and No!---No!---No!.
Accidents will still always happen. We don't live in paradise. I had a cousin that stuck a hairpin in an electric socket. He was OK, but he never did it again.
Should we outlaw electricity and fire? Geez!!!!
Install a video fire and use the furnace for heat.
Make the doors double glazed, with a small air gap in between, and the outside glass will not become dangerously hot.
Better still, NEVER leave your children unattended with a hot fireplace.
Something that is supposed to get hot gets hot and this is a design problem?
What next? We won't be able to have stoves that get hot enough to actually cook food? Water heaters that won't heat water?
Ummm, yes.
My GE range can reach 700 degrees but the outside glass remains warm throughout it's operation. There is no danger to burn yourself. The same technology can be applied to fireplace doors.
Glad you mentioned water heaters. Ever touched one? They do not pose any risk of burning you because of how they're designed.
A fireplace that doesn't get hot provides no heat to the surrounding area. If that's what you want why not just put in a large screen monitor with a fireplace programmed into it.
All fireplaces, water heaters, stoves and electric heaters get hot. Young children are vulnerable to severe burns with these items, especially if they lack a heat barrier or some way to reduce burn hazards.
Proper safety designs and proper parenting is always possible without having to resort to simulated images.
Best solution for a functional fireplace is a standoff railing.
JM California
Ummm, NO!
There are plenty of "fake" fireplaces that peopel can buy that do not produce heat. These fireplaces are designed to produce heat.
This is a parental issue and not a design issue. I find it amazing how so many people wish to be told what to do, how to do it and prevented from using their own noggin to think or for common sense. No wonder common sense is not so common anymore.
Stupid comment.
Many household hazards can be prevented with GOOD DESIGN and adequate parenting. Ever looked at how mirrored doors have glass that is laminated? It's a great safety feature, especially with young children. Accidents happen and will continue to happen. If a safer design is possible, why not implement it and relieve the parents AND CHILDREN of potential risks?
What I find amazing is the ignorance you seem to prefer. Common sense is reducing hazards for our children, not only 24/7 parenting. Use your noggin, for once. This has little to do with telling people what to do.
Just make sure you don't spank him for getting too close to the fireplace.
Is there something new here? We had a fireplace in the early50's. We burned a lot of pine. It didn't take long to figure out that with all the pitch in the wood it was occasionally spiting out embers onto the floor beyond the hearth. We got a folding glass cover that had a screen in front of it. The glass had a warning sticker on it. Glass will become HOT while in use. Use screen to prevent burns. The thing was made to be opened & closed with the fire poker tool.
A little common sense & some thought about what you are doing or using can go a long way.
Won't be long before the Government regulates us into being encased in bubble wrap or a giant condom.
lockstep, too bad you didn't read the article. This has nothing to do with government regulating anything. The Consumer Federation of America is not governmental, nor are the safety advocates mentioned.
They may have to push for federal regulations if the danger is not properly addressed with design modifications. I see no problem with that, especially because there are several inexpensive solutions.
JM California, you prove the person's statement correct. You want a regulation that an item be cool for something that is designed to be hot? Those libs sure got you lemming behind them
aztekman
I cannot believe the complete ignorance in your comments.
Do you cook with a pot belly stove? My oven gets hot, but isn't a safety hazard on the outside. The exterior stays cool.
It is safer for a young child that a fireplace has a metal screen, rather than a tempting and dangerously hot glass. I know. I grew up with both.
The glass is meant to offer a fire, but without the risk of popping embers and extreme radiant heat. It also cuts down on drafts.
Do you own one, like I do? I doubt it. I close the glass doors when I leave the room or have had enough heat. Sometimes, I'll close the glass doors if I want the ambiance of a fire but not the heat. Once the glass doors are closed, there's little heat, except for the blazing hot glass. That's the danger for children. There is little sensory warning that the glass is dangerously hot. If you knew anything that you were talking about, you'd also know that dual glazed glass fireplace doors are already being manufactured for safety. Oh, surprise...you learned something new.
And your last comment is a piece of @!$%#ing @!$%# nonsense. Keep up the good work.
How many centuries have we had fire and fire places? Accidents happen but as a rule you never leave your toddler alone in a room with a wood stove or fireplace. It should be the same common sense mentality as turning all the handles of your pots and pans in so they don't stick out over the front of your stove. As a child my parents slapped our hands if we got too close the first couple of times, then it was our bottom... did it hurt? YES but I learned not to go near the stove and I didn't get burned!
It is a shame that children get injured but we all grow up eventually. Once burnt, twice shy.
These units are a danger because they do not function like regular fireplaces. The flames are contained behind the glass. You do not stoke them with logs, hear the crackling of the wood, the shifting of the wood, smell the fire, or see the glowing embers to remind you the area is hot. You are dealing with a unit that does not fit the paradyme of a standard unit. It is augmented reality. The flame is real, but controlled and for the most part motionless. The logs are fake, and you think, reasonably so the glass is like that of an oven door, which has "Cool Touch Technology". No one is born knowing what temperature the glass is or how hot it may be. Manufacturers do not tell you the temperature it may reach, for a unit may be cold to the touch or 450 f. The true standard for the maximum temperature of the glass is 1,328 f. I was called into this to help solve the burn issues. I like many parents of victims did not know the temperature. You only know how a product functions with information and education. Manufacturers keep the public in the dark, and until they are transparent on what the maximum temperature sustained for each and every unit, the burns will continue. Parents are not to blame, I have spoken to many. Furthermore, once the flame is extinguished, the glass can be hot enough to cause a third degree burn for up to 45 minutes. Nature provides a residual heat indicator with glowing embers, these units provide no such clue.
Wow! really? Fireplaces are suppose to be HOT. DUH! What should be done is fine the stupid parents. If you have a fireplace and a small child, part a barrier between them. Simple and inexpensive.
William S. Lerner, really? They are a danger because the fire is behind a piece of glass?
You let your children touch oven doors? Hot is Hot and we should not make excuses for these parents who are paying more attention to their TV than to their child.