Lancaster Colony Corp. Fined $150,000 for Failing to Report Defective Candles to CPSC
Put CPSC Recalls on Your Web Site
Bookmark and Share

NEWS from CPSC

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 9, 2000
Release # 00-065 		CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: Ronald Yelenik, (301) 504-7582

Lancaster Colony Corp. Fined $150,000 for Failing to Report Defective Candles to CPSC

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that Lancaster Colony Corp., of Columbus, Ohio, will pay a civil penalty of $150,000 to settle allegations that the company's original formulation Clearfire candles, sold by its Candle-lite division, contained a defect and the firm failed to report the problem to the agency as required by law.

CPSC alleges that Lancaster Colony failed to report that original formulation Clearfire candles could flare up, causing the glass holders to overheat and break, putting consumers at risk of being burned or injured by broken glass. CPSC alleges that Lancaster Colony was aware of at least 142 incidents involving candle flare-ups, resulting in 20 burn or laceration injuries and more than 55 reports of property damage, but did not report to CPSC.

Although the company agreed to the civil penalty, Lancaster Colony denies that the candles contain a defect that could create a substantial product hazard and that it violated the law.

Lancaster Colony recalled 3 million of the candles in October 1996. The original formulation Clearfire candles did not have a plastic cover over the top of the candle. For more information about the recall, consumers should call Candle-lite at (800) 543-0357.