Flammable Halloween Costumes Pose Danger to Children
Posted on October 25, 2011
The Today Show did a segment on the safety of children's Halloween costumes, which was pretty horrifying. Costumes must comply with federal regulations concerning flammability. But it appears that not all costumes are flame-resistant. With the help of the local fire department, the show tested several costumes for safety. The results were disturbing. The spider-man costume burst into flame, prompting the fireman to discuss the fabric melting into the child's skin and how he would end up in the burn unit if he was wearing that costume.
Is your hair standing on end yet? Wait till you see how the the pink princess and the red spider witch costume do during the fire test. The fire chief tells parents to keep kids away from candles and lights, and to teach them to drop to the ground and roll if they do catch fire.
Here's more advice on avoiding flammable costumes from CBS News/I>, including tips for homemade costumes from Susan Koeppen.