House destroyed by plug-in air fresheners-Fiction! But Other Info!

House Destroyed by Glade Plug-in Air FreshenerFiction! But Additional Info!

Summary of eRumor:

The email tells the story of a house that burned to the ground and the cause was found to be a Glad Plug-in air freshener.
The fire investigator is quoted as saying he’s seen more home fires from plug-in type air fresheners than anything else.

The Truth:


The main problem with this eRumor is that it’s a tragic story with no validating information.
No names, no location, no identification of the fire department.
Whether this particular fire ever took place is impossible to prove.

There have been some rumbles about plug-in air fresheners, however.

WABC-TV reporter Tappy Phillips in New York says she found a couple of house fires in which plug-in air fresheners were suspected, but none of them involved Glade products.
He quotes fire investigator Richard Wolfson who was hired by the insurance company of a homeowner who had experienced a fire.
Wolfson said his conclusion is that the plug-in air freshener was the most likely cause.
Phillips also talked with a homeowner named Karen Myers who says she watched her plug-in air freshener go up in flames.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced in April of 2002 that the SC Johnson company had voluntarily recalled about 2.5 million Glad Extra Outlet Scented Oil Air Fresheners.
That particular model, according to the commission, had been misassembled at the factory and were regarded as a potential fire hazard.
There have not been any reports of fires.