Napolean built-in fireplaces
1 report to CPSC, the latest made Mar 13, 2013. A report isn’t a recall.
Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. CPSC’s own search is on saferproducts.gov.
At a glance
From SaferProducts.gov, released Oct 25, 2026.
- 1report to CPSC
- Mar 13, 2013the latest report was made
- Mar 13, 2013the earliest
- 0with the company’s comments
- Brand
- Napolean
- Maker
- NAPOLEON APPLIANCE CORP.Makers, importers or sellers, as the reports name them
- Product
- Built-in fireplacesCPSC’s product type: Built-in Fireplaces (code 336), in Home Maintenance and Structures: Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning
By month
The numbers, as a table
| Month | Reports |
|---|---|
| March 2013 | 1 |
How badly anyone was hurt
- Not said 1 CPSC: Unspecified
As each report says it, in short words; CPSC’s own words are under each.
The reports, as CPSC published them
Reports people made to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC publishes each one after sending it to the company named, and doesn’t guarantee they’re accurate. A report isn’t a recall.
Each report is the words of the person who made it, as CPSC published them. The company’s comments, where CPSC published any, are set apart as the company’s own.
CPSC, SaferProducts.gov public database export. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.
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Not said Made Mar 13, 2013, sent to the company Mar 25, 2013, published by CPSC Apr 8, 2013
The product, in the report: Napolean WMFE4 Ethanol Fireplace
I have copied and pasted the e-mails which I sent to the manufacturer (Napolean Firelplaces).
We recently purchased a Napolean WMFE3 ethanol fireplace and want to report a mishap with it. I had contacted your customer service reps. before my initial use of the fireplace to find out the correct ethanol fuel to use. I was told that I could use denatured alcohol so I purchased a gallon of [REDACTED] from The Home Depot and filled each burner pot and did not overfill past the Max Level markings on the burning pots. I ignited the pots. The initial flames were blue and pretty low. As it says in your users manual “It may take 15-20 minutes to reach maximum flame height.” In about that time period, the flames did, in fact, reach a height rising up to about half-way up the height of the fireplace itself. HOWEVER, the flames began growing higher and higher! The fuel was making a gurgling/hissing sound (almost sounded like a heavy rain). The flames began to lick out of the enclosure scorching part of the frame. I used the tool to close the burner slide but this did NOT snuff out the fire. Flames were shooting out from around the burner slide and fumes were being emitted from the outside of the fireplace frame itself! Our smoke detectors went off (one of which is part of our security system alerting our security company). I had to use a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze. After cleaning the fireplace and burning pots of the extinguisher residue, I re-lit the burners without incident. The following night, I re-lit them again. Again, without incident.
I wanted to report this to your company for your information. Do you have any idea why this may have occurred? An impurity in the fuel, perhaps? I’m just glad I had a fire extinguisher or we would have had a major problem. It wasn’t a good start to our new Napolean ethanol fireplace relationship.
Please feel free to contact me with comments, suggestions.
Thanks, [REDACTED]
Please read my original e-mail dated Feb. 20, 2013. Last night, we had the exact same thing happen with our WMFE4 Ethanol Fireplace! This makes 2 out of 4 uses where the ethanol burn got totally out of control! The flames, AGAIN, got so large that they lapped up and out of the top of the fireplace frame causing our smoke detectors to go off, causing blistering damage to the the frame and back wall of the the fireplace! I followed the same exact procedures listed in my Feb. 20th e-mail and the flames would not go out after closing the dampers to the burner pots. I had to, ONCE AGAIN, use a fire extinguisher to put out the fire!
I have attached photos, this time, to share with you the damage which has occurred. I have also attached a picture of the can of denatured alcohol which I used as a fuel. I was told by your customer service representative that denatured alcohol was an acceptable fuel to burn in your Napolean ethanol fireplace, so that is what I have used.
I NEED SOME ANSWERS!!! I HAVE INVESTED APPROXIMATELY $1300 (US) IN THIS FIREPLACE AND IT APPEARS TO HAVE A HUGE SERIOUS PROBLEM AND IS A SCARY APPARATUS TO OPERATE! I WILL BE REPORTING THESE TWO INCIDENTS TO THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION. (I don’t know if this will matter much, since you are a Canadian company). THE UNIT (AS YOU CAN SEE BY MY PHOTOS) SUSTAINED DAMAGE. IT PROBABLY CAN STILL OPERATE, BUT IT IS NOT AS BEAUTIFUL AS WHEN WE FIRST INSTALLED IT.
Here is a quote from your installation and operating instructions: “USE DENATURED ETHANOL FUEL ONLY.”
Please e-mail or call me with any information you may be able to provide.
- Model
- Napolean WMFE4 Ethanol Fireplace
- Bought from
- The Simple Fireplace Store, Massachusetts
- Bought
- Jan 31, 2013
- Where
- Bradenton, Florida: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Unspecified
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand Napolean, made or sold by NAPOLEON APPLIANCE CORP.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Unspecified
CPSC’s disclaimer
Disclaimer: CPSC does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of the Publicly Available Consumer Product Safety Information Database on SaferProducts.gov, particularly with respect to information submitted by people outside of CPSC.
Word for word, from the disclaimer in CPSC’s export.
Sources
Sources
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U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, SaferProducts.gov public database export.
Released Oct 25, 2026 and checked Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work). CPSC asks to be credited, and that no endorsement be implied.
Reports of harm are from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), on SaferProducts.gov. CPSC does not endorse Hearth Record.