MINNEAPOLIS – As the Fourth of July nears, poison control officials are warning the public about a product used to spark colored flames in campfires.
Minnesota Poison Control employees have responded to four poisoning cases from flame colorant products since summer began, three of the cases from the product, Mystical Fire, made by Mystical Distributing in Canada.
"It's typically toddlers getting into open packages because they are just sort of born for mischief, they tend to put the world into their mouths," said Minnesota Poison Control Medical Director, Jon Cole, MD. "Adults occasionally mix it up for other salt or candy based products, we've had people mix it up for Pop Rocks candy and also for tea."
A published case from Massachusetts details how a 60-year-old man had mistaken Mystical Fire for Pop Rocks candy, and died from the ingestion.
Mystical Distributing President Mark Phillips said his product is tamper proof, and reiterates it should not be opened.
"A child will not open this package on their own and I have no idea why somebody would put this product where someone could access it, because it's thrown in the fire, not something to be left on the coffee table," said Phillips. "I don't understand how it could happen. I feel bad that it happened."
The Minnesota Poison Control staff reported Mystical Fire to the Consumer Product Safety Commission after the cluster of poisoning cases.