Kauai firm
recalls 29,000
handmade candles

The products pose a fire hazard,
safety commission says

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By Tim Ruel
truel@starbulletin.com

The thought of shoppers around the world mailing their year-old candles back to Hawaii for a refund because the wicks pose a fire hazard may seem bizarre, but that's exactly what a federal regulatory agency is asking.

Kauai firm Island Soap & Candle Works is recalling some 29,000 candles sold from April 2000 to April 2002 after an ex-employee told the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Com- mission that one of the candles scorched her cocktail table at home, the company said.

The employee had worked for the Oahu licensee of Island Soap & Candle Works, and had resigned before the fire, which occurred a few months ago, said Richard Emery, member manager for the Oahu firm.

The employee, who was not identified, asked Island Soap to replace her table, and when the company refused, she reported the incident to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Emery said. The commission ruled the type of candle, which has a single wick surrounded by wax in a coconut shell, was a potential fire hazard.

"Pieces of the candles' wick can fall off while burning and the wick can re-ignite after extinguishing, posing a burn and fire hazard," it said.

Island Soap is recalling the candles in voluntary cooperation with the commission. The company has stores on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and in Monterey, Calif., and Emery estimated 90 percent of the 29,000 candles were sold to tourists.

Since April 8, Island Soap's manufacturer has started treating all candles with fire-proofing, he said.

The incident marks the only report of a complaint about the company's candles for the past decade, said Stephen Connella, a Kauai resident who bought the company in 1991.

"We're a little baby family home-grown company. This was an adventure," Emery said.

The candles being recalled were priced between $8 and $15. Emery declined to predict the total cost of the recall to the company.

For more information, call Island Soap at (877) 535-5566.

Candle recall If you bought a candle with a single wick in a brown coconut shell made by Island Soap & Candle Works between April 2000 and April 8, 2002: >> Stop using the candle immediately To obtain a full refund: >> Return the candle to the store where it was purchased, or >> Mail the candle to Island Soap & Candle Works, 900 Fort Street Mall #1220, Honolulu, HI 96813. Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission