Crime & Safety

Faulty 'Fire Pot' May Have Caused Edwards Florist Blaze

Northbrook fire officials believe a gel candle may have cracked and set the shop on fire Friday.

The fire that raged through Friday may have been caused by a malfunctioning gel candle called a “fire pot.”

The ceramic container holding the flaming gel may have cracked, leaking burning gel onto a table and setting the store on fire, according to the Northbrook Fire Department.

Made by several different manufacturers, fire pots are not tested by safety agencies, like , and should be used with caution, according to Deputy Fire Chief Ron Schinleber.

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Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan recently issued a consumer alert warning people against using fire pots due to the potential for severe burns when adding fuel. While the situation in Edwards Florist was different, Schinleber said there were enough similarities to cause concern, and the Fire Department issued a statement on the village website Monday that cautions consumers against using fire pots.

“The intent of this message is to warn people and businesses that this product is not safe and can be extremely dangerous,” the advisory reads. “Unless a product has been tested by a listing agency such as UL, FM, ETL, etc., the recommendation is not to purchase the item.   

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Meanwhile, Edwards Florist is shut down indefinitely due to the damage from smoke and fire.

“It’s going to be pretty expensive to clean up,” Schinleber said. “The problem was, the place is a flower shop, so every flower was ruined.”

Schinleber said the fire department estimated the property damage at $25,000 and the damage to the store’s contents at $75,000. There was no serious structural damage to the masonry building, he said, but there was extensive damage caused by the heavy black smoke that poured out on Friday.

Several days later, the shop still smells of smoke from outside, and empty shelves are visible inside, although the pink and red geraniums planted out front look healthy.

While the store is closed for the time being, owner Elaine Mercouris stressed that Edwards Florist is going on with business as usual—via a kitchen at.

“Our family goes there and we have many friends,” Mercouris said. “It’s a great community.”

Orders can still be placed via the store number, 847-272-4344. And Mercouris said she’s hoping to reopen in the same location on Shermer Road where the store has been since 1957. 


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