There’s more than a ghost of a chance for Halloween danger

Erica D. Johnson

Friday, Oct. 25, 2002 | 9:19 a.m.

As parents purchase Halloween costumes for their children, firefighters want them to keep in mind the dangers of flammable materials.

The Clark County Fire Department Thursday tested the flammability of several fabrics at Fire Station 18 near Flamingo and Paradise roads.

Most of the costumes tested were made of 100 percent polyester or cotton, which burned quickly.

Though the Fire Department doesn't typically receive a large amount of calls on Halloween, Robert Leinbach, department spokesman. said flammable costumes are a danger parents should be aware of.

Leinbach said open flames from pumpkins or candles cause the most accidents on Halloween.

"Every material will burn," Leinbach said. "Nothing is fireproof. If someone were wearing any of these costumes they would have second- and third-degree burns and permanent scarring."

While some costumes Leinbach tested had labels that read "flame retardant" or "keep away from flame," other costumes had no labels at all.

Materials labeled "keep away from flame" will ignite easily, Leinbach said. While flame retardant materials will ignite, the fire will put itself out once the heat source is removed.

But the demonstration showed some labels can be misleading.

One costume labeled "flame retardant" became engulfed in flames when ignited with a flair.

"I'm very surprised," Leinbach said. "It says it's flame retardant but to me it's not. That makes me a little nervous."

Polyester is made of a tar-based product that melts into a thick, sticky liquid when burned.

Because the product sticks to skin when it burns, Leinbach said, it should be removed only by a doctor.

In the demonstration, costumes made out of 100 percent cotton or cotton blends were even more flammable than polyester.

The 100 percent cotton T-shirt fire officials set on fire produced the largest flames, which spread more quickly than in any other material.

"In terms of safety, this is the worst thing you can put on," Leinbach said.

The more tightly woven the fabric, Leinbach said, the slower the material will burn. Tiny holes in loosely woven fabric causes oxygen to spread the flames.

Most infant wear is required by law to be flame resistant, he said.

In addition to fire safety, Leinbach said, parents should be aware of the dangers of car accidents on Halloween.

An average of four children each Halloween are struck and killed by cars in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This is four times the fatality rate reported on any other night of the year.

Leinbach's other trick-or-treating safety tips included: