A new class action lawsuit claims Colsen Fire Pits LLC sold dangerous campfires that caused fires and serious burns. Plaintiff Shaneka Barnhart filed the lawsuit Oct. 28 in federal court in North Carolina, accusing the company of violating consumer protection laws.

The lawsuit says Colsen sold tabletop stoves that posed serious burn risks and failed to warn consumers. This follows an Oct. 17 recall of more than 89,000 fire pits after reports of escaping flames, resulting in injuries requiring hospitalization and surgeries. Colsen acknowledged 31 incidents in which flames escaped, of which 19 resulted in burns.

In a statement on its website, Colsen urged consumers to throw away the stoves: “We urge you to immediately stop using your Colsen brand stove and dispose of it in your household waste. DO NOT resell or donate them. It is “a violation of federal law to sell or distribute recalled products.”

Barnhart, who purchased his fire pit at Walmart just before the recall, claims Colsen misled buyers by not disclosing the risks. She maintains that reasonable consumers would not expect a tabletop stove to be so dangerous.

The stoves, sold from January 2020 to July 2024, were available through Amazon, Walmart and Wayfair. Barnhart seeks to represent affected buyers, seeking damages, costs and a jury trial.

The recalled stoves, which range in size from 5 to 18 inches, were sold through major retailers, including Amazon, Walmart and Wayfair, from January 2020 to July 2024.

Fire Pit Dangers

Alcohol flames can be invisible and cause jets of flame when refilling the stove tank. Flame spurts are a serious event that can occur when pouring alcohol, when fire returns to the alcohol container and suddenly propels the burning alcohol out of the container toward nearby people.

Alcohol can also splash, spill, or leak out of the stove tank during use, causing a flash fire that can spread and create larger, hotter flames that can escape from the unit.

Using the recalled stoves can cause injuries quickly and unexpectedly, causing burns in less than a second, which can be serious and fatal.