Table-Top Fire Pit Implicated In Burn Injury Lawsuit
A Lexington couple filed a product liability lawsuit against Colsen Fire Pits, LLC, Gusar, LLC, and Amazon.com, Inc. According to the lawsuit, the couple suffered severe burns as a result of the table-top fire pit. Colsen Fire Pits has been named as the defendant in at least two federal lawsuits filed in Florida and Texas, according to federal court documents.
The fire pit is a device manufactured by Colsen and Gusar and distributed by Amazon.com. It is composed of an 18”x4” black concrete rectangular shell with a smaller rectangular metal insert in the middle of the shell. The fire pit can be used by pouring isopropyl alcohol or another flammable liquid into the metal insert and lighting the liquid on fire. Several reviews of the product on Amazon indicate that consumers believe that the fire pit is “unreasonably dangerous.” Similar fire pits have been banned in Australia and Canada prior to the plaintiff’s purchase of the fire pit, according to the lawsuit.
According to the plaintiffs, they sustained severe and permanent bodily injuries, including severe burns over significant portions of their bodies. They were forced to cancel their honeymoon as a result of their injuries and in order to avoid significant exposure to sunlight.
According to their attorney, the husband suffered second- and third-degree burns over approximately 40% of his body. The left half of his torso and his entire left arm and hand were burned. He was initially treated at the University of Kentucky but almost immediately transferred to a specialized burn unit at the University of Louisville. He received treatment for a week before he was transferred for further treatment and rehabilitation. He’s out of the hospital now, but still has ongoing physical therapy. He also has to wear specialized clothing and is required to stay out of the sun for at least a year.
What happened?
According to the lawsuit, the couple was at a friend’s residence. The friends were burning alcohol in the Colsen/Gusar fire pit which was placed on a table around which the couple and their friends were sitting. The lawsuit indicates that while the flammable liquid was still lit and burning, one of the friends squirted or poured isopropyl alcohol onto the existing flame in the fire pit. The addition of the alcohol to the already burning fire pit caused the existing flame to ignite the vapors and liquid coming out of the alcohol container and the fire ultimately extended to the alcohol container. The alcohol inside the container ignited resulting in a large flame extending from the open container of alcohol across the table. This phenomenon is sometimes referred to as “flame jetting”.
The plaintiffs contend that the fire pit was packaged without sufficient warnings and was unreasonably dangerous given its proper use. They are seeking damages for burn injuries.
Talk to a Florida Product Liability Lawyer Today
The Florida personal injury lawyers at Halpern, Santos & Pinkert represent the interests of those who have been injured due to defective or intrinsically dangerous consumer products. Call our office today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin investigating your claims right away.
Source:
kentucky.com/news/local/article289692904.html
