Corn oil? Torch fuel? Apple juice? Don't make a fatal mistake.
The bottom line
Torch fuel can look like apple juice. Making that mistake has cost people their lives.
Prevention Tips
Read the label before using a product - every time. Store products in their original containers, out of sight and reach of children. Do NOT transfer products into food or beverage container.
This Really Happened
A 22-month-old girl tried to swallow some tiki torch fuel. It went into her lungs and she began to cough right away. In the emergency room, she had a lot of trouble breathing, her blood pressure was low, she had bloody froth in her mouth, and her eyes "rolled back into her head". An x-ray show that her right lung had extensive injury. She received emergency care and was transferred to another hospital.
When she got there, she had a cardiac arrest. Although resuscitation efforts continued for some time, the child died.
The full story
An 84-year-old woman died after a family member poured torch fuel into a glass. She drank it, thinking it was apple juice. An eight-year-old girl has permanent lung damage after making the same mistake. Several other people also drank torch fuel, mistaking it for juice or another drink.
These products look alike in the bottle. The liquid is the same color, the bottles are of similar heights, and the caps look alike. And when poured out of their bottles, it's impossible to tell the difference.
Torch fuel, sometimes called torch oil, is poured into many varieties of "tiki torches" or "patio torches" used for outdoor lighting in warm weather. Many merchants sell them in bamboo or metal. The "torch" or lantern portion sits on top of a long pole that is usually put into the ground or a bucket of sand. The torch fuel may contain an insect repellant such as citronella or lemon grass.
If swallowed, torch fuel can easily slide down into the lungs instead of going into the stomach. This causes pneumonia and also prevents the lungs from absorbing oxygen. Even small amounts in the lungs can be life-threatening or fatal.
Don't make a fatal mistake!
Store poisons and food in different places.
Do NOT put poisons into food containers. Keep poisons in their original containers.
Put the child-resistant cap firmly back in place after using torch fuel or other products.
Read the label before eating, drinking, or taking medicine. Be sure it's the right thing before you put it into your mouth!
If you do make a mistake - with torch fuel or anything else - use the webPOISONCONTROL® online tool to get help, or call your poison center at 1-800-222-1222. Whether online or by phone, expert guidance is always free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day.
For More Info
Dangerous household hydrocarbons (The Poison Post®)
