Preventing Burns from Hot Fireplace Doors

Imagine a toddler who just learned to walk: wandering the family room and curious about the bright flames flickering in the gas fireplace. Most parents are reassured that the protective door in front of the fireplace is enough to keep kids safe – but the glass door actually poses its own risk.

Read safety tips for gas fireplaces.

Glass doors get very hot, very fast

While the glass door definitely protects children from the fire itself, it doesn’t necessarily protect kids from the heat. The surface of the glass can rise to 200º F in a mere six minutes – meaning that contact with the glass door can result in second- or third-degree burns to the skin.

Fireplace burns are a more common tale than many parents suspect, according to the burn team at Children's Hospital Colorado. Unaware that the glass doors heat quickly and cool slowly, parents are often astounded that a seemingly harmless fireplace door could burn their child. Children’s burn team strongly recommends that homeowners with glass gas fireplaces take necessary prevention measures.

Treating burns at Children's Hospital Colorado

The Burn Program at Children's Hospital Colorado is dedicated to pediatric burn patients and burn-prevention education. The program was established more than 30 years ago to treat all aspects of burn or skin injury in babies, kids and teens, including rehabilitation and scar reconstruction.

Meet the burn team at Children's Hospital Colorado.

One family's story

The Thomas family was gathered around the fireplace on Christmas Eve, when their son, Reeve, who just learned to walk, took a few steps away from his mother. In a matter of seconds Reeve was at the gas fireplace, with his hands stuck to the glass doors. Reeve's mother, Brynn, pulled Reeve away immediately, but his hands were already badly burned and blistered.

The family rushed to Children's Hospital Colorado, where doctors and nurses in the emergency room knew instantly what had happened. Fortunately, Reeve didn't need skin grafting surgery. Health providers at Children's Hospital Colorado Burn Program kept his hands in soft casts for more than three weeks, allowing his skin to heal.

9News recently covered the family's story - read more about the dangers of gas fireplaces and watch the 9News video coverage.