Woman Sues After Candle Explodes, Causing Severe Burns

A woman who previously served as an official at City Hall has filed a lawsuit after suffering serious injuries when a candle she lit exploded, showering her face and arms with searing hot wax.

Renita Francois, 41, claims that on January 19, 2023, in her Valley Stream home, a three-wick “Sweater Weather” candle suddenly exploded as she leaned in to smell it. The blast sent a shockwave of fire and debris directly into her face, resulting in second-degree burns, according to court documents.

The incident left her with burns so severe that her eyelashes melted away and her eyebrows were singed, causing immediate and intense pain. Her husband witnessed her face catch fire and blister as the molten wax burned her skin. Francois was rushed to the hospital but reports that the aftermath has deeply impacted her confidence and emotional well-being.

The burns have also caused visible scars, and she describes the pain as “instant, unrelenting, and beyond anything she had ever experienced.”

In her lawsuit, Francois criticizes the candle’s manufacturing, noting it was made in Canada using substandard materials, with inadequate safety measures and testing. She alleges that these factors created an unreasonable risk of explosion. She also claims that the product contained highly flammable chemical additives.

Francois added that the company was aware of such dangers as early as 2016, when it recalled some candles due to explosions, glass shattering, and injuries from molten wax.

Once a confident public speaker in her role with the Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety, Francois now feels self-conscious about her scars and the trauma from the incident. She is seeking damages, claiming the incident has caused both physical harm and emotional distress.

Her legal advocates emphasize that this case underscores the importance of holding corporations accountable for prioritizing profit over consumer safety to prevent such injuries in the future.