A LEADING SCENTED candle brand owner have been defending their product after a Moray woman landed in hospital when her candle exploded.
Forres woman Anne Smith had to receive emergency treatment at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin when an Air Wick ‘Pearl’ candle she had purchased exploded in her hands.
Mrs Smith told the P&J that the candle had started to produce a huge flame within 20 minutes of it being lit – and when she tried to move the candle the glass casing exploded in her hands, showering her with scalding wax gel.
After being rushed by her husband to the Forres Health Centre she was transferred by ambulance to Dr Gray’s in Elgin where she was provided with morphine while her hands were treated for their wounds.
“I just lit the candle for the nice smell while I was watching TV – but within 20 minutes of lighting it the smoke alarm was going off,” she said, adding: “There was no way it was supposed to go that high – so I tried to take it through to the sink and at that point it just exploded in my hands.”
A spokesman for Air Wick said that they had already contacted Mrs Smith and would be investigating the incident, but added that their candles underwent stringent tests under UK and EU regulations.
Air Wick warn that their candles should always be kept in sight when burning and the flame should never be allowed to touch the glass. They add that users should stop burning the candles when half an inch of solid wax remains at the bottom of the container “to avoid breakage”.