Children have drunk torch fuel because it looked like apple juice. Manufacturers color torch fuel so it looks like apple juice. They add a pleasant odor and package the fuel in transparent plastic bottles with colorful labels. Young children can’t tell the attractively packaged fuel from apple juice. As a result, many children under the age of six are exposed to torch fuel each year. Some of these children have been seriously injured and some have been killed, including a little boy from Duncan, Oklahoma. He drank the fuel after his second birthday party and died a short time later. He believed the fuel was apple juice.
Tragedy Turns Into Action
Bettsy Bumpas is the mother of Jhonethyn Bumpas, the child from Duncan, Oklahoma, who drank the toxic fuel. Jhonethyn died after consuming the deadly liquid after his second birthday celebration at a park. This family photo was taken at the party shortly before the little boy died. Because Ms. Bumpas’s life has been changed forever, she is trying to create a safer environment for children. She is now campaigning for packaging changes that would require the dangerous liquid be sold in non-transparent containers. She is requesting that torch fuel oil containers be changed so that the product is not visible — and therefore, children can not see it, think it is apple juice and drink it. Carr & Carr Attorneys is helping Ms. Bumpas do this. We have petitioned the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on behalf of Ms. Bumpas to request that packaging be changed. Ms. Bumpas is not asking that the product be outlawed or removed from the market, just that the container be altered so it doesn’t look like a product that children are drawn to.
Dangerous Fuel That Looks Like Juice
Tiki-type torch fuel is sold in clear plastic bottles which look very similar to fruit juice bottles. This photo shows how similar the liquids look:
One of these bottles contains apple juice, one contains white grape juice and two contain tiki-style torch fuel. Which one looks like what you want your baby to drink? The first and third from the left are white grape and apple juice, respectively. The second and fourth bottles contain dangerous torch fuel.
If you have questions regarding the safety and packaging of torch fuel, please email or call Carr & Carr Attorneys at 1-877-392-4878.
Because of the number of families we have heard from who have dealt with injury or death due to a child drinking torch fuel, we are especially committed to fixing this problem. We want to hear from families who have experienced this tragedy anywhere in the United States, and we want to help them. We are willing to travel anywhere in the U.S. to meet with you. Please contact us as soon as possible to see if can help your family.
Related posts:
- Tiki-style Torch Fuel Bottles Look Too Close To Apple Juice Or White Grape Juice Bottles
- TulsaKids Shares Message Of Dangers Of Tiki-style Torch Fuel
- KOCO Television: Local Family Warns Of Torch Fuel Dangers
- Homemade Tiki-style Torches Are A Definite Don’t
- Recall: Roll-up Blinds And Roman Shades Can Cause Children’s Strangulation Death
Tags: apple juice, child, children, clear bottle, Consumer Product Safety Commission, CPSC, drank, ingest, lamp oil, poison, tiki torch fuel, tranpsarent, white grape juice
It is tragic that things like this happen to innocent children.
As a parent of small children, I ask that you require that torch fuel products be sold in non-transparent containers only.
Should be a no-brainer. Protect our children with new packaging! Please!
This is the first time I have heard of this tragedy. The packaging of this product should be changed immediately to save lives. It seems like a very simple problem to fix.
Lets get this problem fixed!
always a tragedy when children are the innocent victims of such a simple thing to fix.
i would implore that the CPSC investigate this matter and resolve this matter swiftly.
Tragic is an understatement. At least change the packaging and avoid them looking like drink bottles. How many of us have outdoor pool parties and serve apple juice and decorate with tiki torches? A bunch. Let’s be careful and thorough parents and EVERYONE, be responsible.
please change the clear packaging. make the containers look scary to children, not friendly!
This was such a tragedy. The loss of a sweet young boy, that could have been prevented. Such a small change could, make a huge impact on countless lives to be saved. I pray that this change will happen.