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I received this email warning from the Little Friend Center for Autism in Illinois about a toy most of us probably have. It's called a water yo-yo, and is extremely flammable. Here is the story and the links:
Subject: Urgent message about dangerous sensory balls
May 5, 2007
Hi,
I just got home from visiting my friend, Kathy ******** son Damian in
the Loyola Medical Center intensive care Burn Unit. Damian has 2nd and 3rd degree burns over 95% of his body. He is in critical condition, please pray that he gains the strength to recover. His injuries were caused by a toy called a puffer ball (sensory ball). If your child or a cleint you work with has a puffer ball get rid of it ASAP!! Pass on this information to anyone you think might have a puffer ball.
Please read information below that I gather from several sites. I have include the web site addresses if you would like to read the full
stories. Pictures of the balls are attached.
Great balls of fire!
A simple child's toy ball has been found to have the potential of
becoming a flaming mass of molten plastic in just a few seconds. Within seconds of being exposed to a flame the ball became engulfed in flames, burned strongly for over ten minutes and continued to burn until extinguished leaving a sticky pile of molten plastic.
Niedbala said the toy smelled like diesel fuel. Ruth to the Rescue
discovered that's because the squishy yo-yos are made of diesel
hydrocarbons, an extremely flammable compound."There's no guarantee that if you're using this around a campfire, barbecue, or mosquito candles that it wouldn't go up just as it is," Niedbala said.
Local 4 contacted the Detroit Fire Department's training academy to see just how flammable the water yo-yo ball really is. The ball burned fast, but the rubbery string stayed intact. About a minute later, the water began to bubble out, but that did nothing to stop the flames. The toy burned for a full five minutes before firefighters extinguished the burning toy.
United Kingdom Puffer Ball (toy).
Type/model: Unknown.
Description: Round balls with tendrils, 11cm & 15cm, in yellow,
green, red, blue, orange, purple (but without flashing lights or liquid
inside). Strong petroleum base smell type.
Country of origin: China.
Risk of fire. The smallest flame/mildest contact with flame and
tendrils burn violently and the fire spreads rapidly. It was considered
that the polymer material used for the Puffer Balls was highly
flammable. Toy does not comply with the Toys Directive and the European Standards.
Distribution of the product voluntarily stopped by the importer.
Recall letters and notices were sent to the retailers.
http://www.lbhf.gov.uk/directory/business/trading_standards/ product_safe
ty/63503_product_safety_recall_notices.asp?classification=co ns;news;sn&i
d=168166
http://www.clickondetroit.com/consumer/3830440/detail.html
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