A Texas woman is recovering from an injury most unusual: First- and second-degree burns from an exploding Bath and Body Works candle. The incident took place in Ashley Brawley’s home last Sunday, according to the Fort Worth affiliate station for NBC. Ashley told reporters that she walked into her living room and discovered that her vanilla-bean scented candle was engulfed in flames, and quickly tried to blow it out. Instead of smothering the flame, it blew up in her face.
Hearing Ashley’s screams, her husband Cody ran into the living room to help. Talking to NBC, Cody described what happened next:
Embarrassing as it is, I put water on it and it [the flames grew larger] you know and apparently you don’t do that. After reading the bottom [of the candle] it does tell you that … The thing was burning hot so I grabbed the oven mitts and walked outside and hit it with the water hose.
Cody says that after he poured water over the three-wick candle, it exploded to pieces.
Ashley is adamant that she did everything right, and is calling for answers from Bath and Body Works as to why the candle malfunctioned. The family’s home-surveillance system also captured the incident, and indicates the candle had been burning for 3 hours and 20 minutes, within the candle’s three-to-four-hour suggested burn limit.
As Ashley recovers from burns on her forehead, cheek, nose, and lip, Bath and Body Works had this to say: “We are very sorry that this happened and are taking this situation extremely seriously. The safety of our customers is our number-one priority, and we are actively working to learn more details from the customer.”
