How To Clean Up Charcoal Lighter Fluid Spill

Lighter fluid poisoning

Lighter fluid is a flammable liquid found in cigarette lighters and other types of lighters. Lighter fluid poisoning occurs when someone swallows this substance.

This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.

Poisonous Ingredient

The harmful substances in lighter fluids are called hydrocarbons. They include:

Benzene
Butane
Hexamine
Lacolene
Naptha
Propane

Where Found

Various lighter fluids contain these substances.

Symptoms

Below are symptoms of lighter fluid poisoning in different parts of the body.

EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROAT

Loss of vision
Severe pain in the throat
Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue

KIDNEYS AND BLADDER

Decreased urine output

STOMACH AND INTESTINES

Blood in the stool
Severe abdominal pain
Burns of the food pipe (esophagus)
Vomiting
Vomiting blood

HEART AND BLOOD

Collapse
Low blood pressure that develops rapidly (shock)

LUNGS AND AIRWAYS

Breathing difficulty
Chest pain
Cough
Throat swelling (may also cause breathing difficulty)

NERVOUS SYSTEM

Coma (decreased level of consciousness and lack of responsiveness)
Confusion
Dizziness
Excitability
Extreme sleepiness
Hallucinations
Headache
Inability to sleep
Irritability
Lack of desire to do anything
Tremor
Twitching
Uncoordinated movements
Seizures (convulsions)
Staggering

SKIN

Burns
Holes in the skin or tissues under the skin
Irritation

Home Care

Get medical help right away. DO NOT make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to.

If the lighter fluid is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.

If the person swallowed the lighter fluid, give them water or milk right away, if a provider tells you to do so. DO NOT give anything to drink if the person has symptoms that make it hard to swallow. These include vomiting, convulsions, or a decreased level of alertness.

If the person breathed in fumes of the lighter fluid, move them to fresh air right away.

Before Calling Emergency

Have this information ready:

Person's age, weight, and condition
Name of the product (and ingredients, if known)
Time it was swallowed
Amount swallowed

Poison Control

Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

What to Expect at the Emergency Room

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.

Tests that may be done include:

Blood and urine tests
Bronchoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the airways and lungs
Chest x-ray
ECG (electrocardiogram), or heart tracing
Endoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and the stomach
Medicine to treat symptoms

Treatment may include:

Fluids through the vein (by IV)
Washing of the skin (irrigation), perhaps every few hours for several days
Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage)
Surgery to remove burned skin
Breathing support, including tube through the mouth into the lungs, and breathing machine (ventilator)

Outlook (Prognosis)

How well someone does depends on how severe their poisoning is and how quickly they receive treatment. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance for recovery.

Swallowing such poisons can have severe effects on many parts of the body. Burns in the airway or gastrointestinal tract can lead to tissue necrosis, resulting in infection, shock, and death, even several months after the substance was first swallowed. Scars may form in these tissues leading to long-term difficulties with breathing, swallowing, and digestion.

References

Aronson JK. Organic solvents. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:385-389.

Wang GS, Buchanan JA. Hydrocarbons. In: Walls RM, Hockberger RS, Gausche-Hill M, eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 152.

Version Info

Last reviewed on: 9/28/2019

Reviewed by: Jacob L. Heller, MD, MHA, Emergency Medicine, Emeritus, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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