CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A North Carolina woman is warning others after she said a candle in her home spewed flames and sent scalding wax flying.
Valentine Chavis posted photos of the aftermath on Facebook.
The photos show the candle charred and melted, where the hot wax splattered all around it.
"WARNING ‼️" Chavis wrote. "If you use candles from bath and body works PLEASE keep an eye on them, If it wasn't for my daughter today my house would've burned down. This candle exploded and was on fire when my daughter walked back in my living room."
Her daughter Savannah Hunt said she saw the flames shooting up from the candle. When she couldn’t put it out, she tossed it into the yard.
Chavis is grateful it didn’t end up burning the house down.
“It was in flames the wax was just going everywhere," she said.
Chavis said the candle was purchased from Bath & Body Works.
In a statement, the company told us: “We are very sorry that this happened and are taking the situation extremely seriously. The safety of our customers is our number one priority.”
The company said decades of testing have proven the candles are safe if they’re used in accordance with the printed instructions, which include trimming the wicks to a quarter inch before lighting and never burning them for more than four hours.
Chavis said their candle had only been burning for about 30 minutes.
“I am 44 years old," Chavis said. "I know how to light a candle."
And their candle close call wasn’t the only one.
Nest camera video from last year shows the moments when a candle shot flames right into Ashley Brawley’s face.
She said she was trying to put out a six-inch flame on her Bath & Body Works candle when it exploded. She was rushed to the ER with 1st and 2nd-degree burns from the fire and scalding wax.
Over the summer, Morgan Singer said her candle exploded after being lit for less than an hour.
“I was just having wine sitting by the island and it popped up and exploded," she said.
Charlotte Fire is now warning people to be aware of how quickly this could happen, and exactly why you should never leave candles unattended.
“If something were to disturb the wax-like moisture or water, it could splatter up and that candle could burn much faster than it was designed," said Rob Cannon, Batallion Chief for the Charlotte Fire Department. "You could have a little explosion.”
Don’t try to stretch the life of a candle that’s looking burned out.
“If your candle is started to look sooted up, it’s time to get a new candle," Cannon said.