
	Now that's a fire!



	This Entry: Date: 2005-03-27 Time: 14:25 Comments: 31 Return To: Recent Entries



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Now that’s a fire!

So, jensplanet has been hosting evenings called Chez Jen. These were christmas presents given to friends and family consisting of a dinner for two; menu is the recipient’s favorite meal.

So, Dan asked for steaks. Grilled. This obviously requires a grill.

Now we had owned a $30 BBQ in the past. It spent a sad winter outside a few years ago, and suffered from loose gas seals in the subsequent disassembly/repainting/reassembly process. The last time we used it some flames shot out of the gas control. This disqualified it for further use. (Although for some strange reason we still have it… perhaps we think we can sell it or something?)

So off we went to the most awesome store in the Glebe: Home Hardware. We found this super-cute barbeque, about 18” in diameter, waiting for us. It cost $20.

It is a Keanall Portable Charcoal Grill. Model KD300. I assembled it, despite its poor instructions. Then we got the charcoal out, and I set everything up on the driveway. Now Jen had decided that we should get the ‘charcoal lighting chimney’ which is a super-cool way to light charcoal with no toxic lighter fluid. That worked great.

Nice, glossy, spherical BBQ with charcoal chimney

The instructions then said to pour the hot charcoal into the bottom of the grill. Which I did. I noticed that they seemed to be flaming away nicely in there.

Photo #2, in which if it had begun to snow that might have been good.

Then, things got a little more out of control. Basically our barbeque self-immolated. That is to say, it completely engulfed itself in flames. Totally. Inside and out, on the top and bottom of the lid. Everywhere was a giant ball of flaming spherical barbeque. I actually said (to the closed window) ‘Uhh… Honey!’ but then decided that since the barbeque was literally ‘toast’ I should relax and have a good time!

I was enjoying the show too much to take photos at the best time, but here’s some shots of the end of the experience.

Flaming BBQ devil. The bottom is burnt off, and the inside of the lid

Glowing remains of paint inside BBQ

All there is left to say concerning this incident is: “Manufacturers of the Keanall Portable Charcoal Grill Model KD300, why do you paint your barbeque with FLAMMABLE PAINT?!!?”

Total flameout. Note absence of beautiful red glossy FLAMMABLE PAINT!

I mean, it isn’t an exaggeration to say that the sole purpose of a barbeque is to contain flaming objects without itself catching on fire. How is this purpose discharged by having a nice glossy coat of FLAMMABLE PAINT!!!!

Did I mention that it is the Keanall Portable Charcoal Grill Model KD300 that has FLAMMABLE PAINT!? (Not that Google ever deigns to index my blog anyway.)

On a brighter note, we had great pan-fried steaks last night…

return to cmh blog

2005-03-27 14:25 ...31


	The Box I love how the box shows the BBQ right next to a tent. at 2005-3-27 15:48 by Trevor


	:O Wow. I guess there's not really much barbecue to take back to the store... what are you going to do now? at 2005-3-27 15:57 by alia


	OMG You should TOTALLY try to get your money back for that. Pack it all up in a nice box, show them your series of pictures of the thing self-immolating. They are very reasonable at the Glebe Home Hardware, after all. at 2005-3-28 15:18 by Keltie


	All your comments are highly apt and entertaining. Alia & Keltie: I'm for sure taking it back, but am thinking of reporting the product to the safety people in the government first. I just don't know how much energy I'm prepared to put into this at the moment... at 2005-3-28 20:17 by cmh


	I've seen that happen. Last year a cousin of mine bought an inexpensive pit from Albertson's. The first time he used it, the paint came off in large flakes. It didn't incinerate, but still it couldn't take the heat of the pit. I don't know if he ever returned it. at 2005-3-31 09:03 by Jay


	Health Canada Heads Up I just sent a letter on our behalf to the Consumer Safety division of Health Canada. Take that, flaming ball BBQ! at 2005-3-31 09:17 by Bixby


	This entry has just been linked to by thisisbroken.com. Permalink: http://broken.typepad.com/b/2005/03/flammable_barbe.html at 2005-3-31 09:25 by cmh


	Picture on Box Notice the food on the grill in the picture on the box isn't cooked? Maybe they knew something... at 2005-3-31 10:06 by Cary


	Hola! Hola, como te llamas? at 2005-3-31 16:22 by Paquito


	RE: Picture on the box You're right! This is like...actually, I haven't seen a product flaw as stupid as that. at 2005-3-31 20:48 by JC


	I think this entire thing was staged. Who has a camera out when they BBQ???? Other than that... yup, its flawed at 2005-3-31 20:53 by Poopy!


	Or so you'd think... But with the presence of cmh, the presence of the camera is also not surprising. I personally am torn between being somewhat dismayed that any pictures were taken and wishing that there was a picture of the BBQ at an early, extreme flaming ball stage. at 2005-3-31 23:13 by Bixby


	cmh ha Actually, the omni-present camera is part of Colin's charm-- he's like a go-go-gadget picture-taker. It's actually like a third arm-- except it disables an arm, instead of adding one-- and this comment is rapidly degrading so The End. at 2005-4-2 14:12 by maysie


	in the glowing Gives a whole new meaning to the old campfire song, Fire's burning, fire's burning, draw nearer, draw nearer, in the glowing in the glowing we'll sing and be merry! (some would sing 'gloaming' but in this case glowing is more appropriate) at 2005-4-2 18:02 by kmh


	I am happy to say that thanks to many links being posted to this entry... Google now indexes this document. at 2005-4-2 21:37 by cmh


	no charcoal required Could come in really handy when you run out of charcoal. Just "light the grill" instead. at 2005-4-6 08:18 by MH


	THATS FUNNY AND SAD! OMG what manufacturer would do something so...so stupid! i bet its like somewhere on the box in really REALLY small letters. CAUTION PAINT ON BOX IS FLAMMABLE MAY CAUSE FIRE IF COALS ARE TOO HOT! i heard there was once a box that on the bottom alone it said "CAUTION, FRAGILE, DO NOT TURN UPSIDE DOWN!" at 2005-4-8 21:34 by D


	Great Wow, I've seen a lot of stupid things in my life but this is definatly the greatest!! at 2005-4-22 15:17 by Mike


	Like the Hindenburg This is like the Hindenburg airship...supposedly he reason why it exploded into flames was because they coated it with gunpowder, and a lightning strike ignited it. Makes you wonder what kind of world we are coming to. at 2005-4-23 07:36 by P


	mouna mouna mouna mouna mouna at 2005-4-25 15:24 by mouna


	Rocket Hot, as a TV chef would say... hahaha... that's terrific. if i could hazard, i'd say cheap grade steel or aluminium paired with Paint as opposed to powder coat when exposed to the much, much hotter coal temp of a chimney starter (as opposed to lighter fluid which burns much cooler) all made for an interesting evening. where's Bill Nye when we need him? at 2005-5-7 23:15 by Kor


	marshmellows? did you get out the marshmellows? at 2005-5-13 21:32 by john


	Fixed? has this problem been fixed and have there been any other incidents with this particular grill? if there have been i haven't heard any. at 2005-5-20 15:38 by BAZANGA!!!


	Tool Time Stunt This sounds like a stunt that Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor would do on "Tool Time"! Thanks for making me laugh for a very long time! The only thing better would be if you could duplicate this and take a video of the flaming barbecue grill! at 2005-6-12 02:38 by David


	flame off paint! Whell, I think I will give the red nonflamble paint! at 2005-6-24 18:05 by William


	Dirigibles were not coated in gunpower "coated in gunpower" Perhaps you mean "coated in aluminium oxide" or something. at 2005-7-29 19:01 by snit


	burning girll this is epoxy coating on the grill bottom.if the coating is in high temperature will be burnt. at 2005-9-6 00:49 by vp


	Look on the box!!!! You looked at the box or manual. It's got to be there somewhere in very small letters: WARNING! PAINT ON PRODUCT IS FLAMMABLE!!! at 2005-11-23 19:23 by Ty


	at 2005-11-23 19:24 by Dave


	placement of charcoal... I don't really see how this would matter, but there should be two grills with that bbq, the smaller on holds the charcoal, it is not supposed to go on the bottom like that. Perhaps the direct contact on the bottom raised the temp higher then normal. having said that, there is no intelligence to using a paint that will catch fire at any possible temperature inside the bbq from charcoal. at 2006-6-20 16:47 by ChronicTom


	blogger, you're not alone I have told so many people about this post... it is a story we can all relate to! Check us out at www.superinternetfuntime.com. We love you! at 2007-5-12 02:47 by chris s

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Now that's a fire!

Now that’s a fire!