A safety alert has been issued by Calor Gas warning people of the dangers of attempting to construct wood burners from liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders.
Calor claimed a number of websites were giving instructions about how to transform or deconstruct LPG cylinders, for example into domestic wood burners. It claimed that many of these videos or resulting products are available on online viewing and retail platforms.
The company said a specialist publication ran an article showing readers how to make traditional-looking wood-burning stoves out of old gas cylinders. It wrote to the magazine, saying: 'We hope your insurance is good.'
Dr Terry Ritter, safety, health and environment manager at Calor, warned: 'Calor cylinders are used widely, whether at home, for leisure or at work and their safety record is exemplary. However, we are seeing an alarming rise in untrained people attempting to cut open cylinders.
'Advice on how to create wood burning-stoves is widespread on the internet. This is not only extremely dangerous, but unlawful. We urge anybody considering tampering with one of our cylinders not to do so, because in committing such action, they are putting their own lives at risk.'
