Lighter fluid is a flammable liquid found in cigarette lighters and other types of lighters. Lighter fluid poisoning occurs when someone swallows this substance.
This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call the local emergency number (such as 911), or the local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.
Poisonous Ingredient
The harmful substances in lighter fluids are called hydrocarbons. Depending on the type of lighter, they may include:
- Benzene
- Butane
- Hexamine
- Lacolene
- Naptha
- Propane
Where Found
Various lighter fluids contain these substances.
Symptoms
Below are symptoms of lighter fluid poisoning in different parts of the body.
EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROAT
- Loss of vision
- Severe pain in the throat
- Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue
KIDNEYS AND BLADDER
- Decreased urine output
STOMACH AND INTESTINES
- Blood in the stool
- Severe abdominal pain
- Burns of the food pipe (esophagus)
- Vomiting
- Vomiting blood
HEART AND BLOOD
- Collapse
- Low blood pressure that develops rapidly (shock)
LUNGS AND AIRWAYS
- Breathing difficulty
- Chest pain
- Cough
- Throat swelling (may also cause breathing difficulty)
NERVOUS SYSTEM
- Coma (decreased level of consciousness and lack of responsiveness)
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Excitability
- Extreme sleepiness
- Hallucinations
- Headache
- Inability to sleep
- Irritability
- Lack of desire to do anything
- Tremor
- Twitching
- Uncoordinated movements
- Seizures (convulsions)
- Staggering
SKIN
- Burns
- Holes in the skin or tissues under the skin
- Irritation
Home Care
Get medical help right away. Do not make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to.
If the lighter fluid is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.
If the person swallowed the lighter fluid, give them water or milk right away, if poison control or a provider tells you to do so. Do not give anything to drink if the person has symptoms that make it hard to swallow. These include vomiting, convulsions, or a decreased level of alertness.
If the person breathed in fumes of the lighter fluid, move them to fresh air right away.
Before Calling Emergency
Have this information ready:
- Person's age, weight, and condition
- Name of the product (and ingredients, if known)
- Time it was swallowed
- Amount swallowed
Poison Control
The local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.
This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
You can also get online poison help now at Poisonhelp.org. Just enter the product, poison, or medicine to get expert help.
What to Expect at the Emergency Room
Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.
The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.
Tests that may be done include:
- Blood and urine tests
- Bronchoscopy -- camera placed down the throat to see burns in the airways and lungs
- Chest x-ray
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Endoscopy -- camera placed down the throat to check for burns in the esophagus and stomach
- Medicine to treat symptoms
Treatment may include:
- Breathing support, including tube through the mouth into the lungs and connected to a breathing machine (ventilator)
- Fluids through a vein (by IV)
- Medicine to treat the effects of the poison and other symptoms
- Surgery to remove burned skin (debridement)
- Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage)
- Washing of the skin (irrigation), every few hours or for several days
Outlook (Prognosis)
How well someone does depends on how severe their poisoning is and how quickly they receive treatment. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance for recovery.
Swallowing such poisons can have severe effects on many parts of the body. Burns in the airway or gastrointestinal tract can lead to tissue necrosis, resulting in infection, shock, and death, even several months after the substance was first swallowed. Scars may form in these tissues leading to long-term difficulties with breathing, swallowing, and digestion.
References
Aronson JK. Organic solvents. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:385-389.
Meehan TJ. Care of the poisoned patient. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 135.
Nelson LS, Calello DP. Acute poisoning. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 96.
Theobald JL, Corcoran JN. Poisoning. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 94.
Wang GS, Buchanan JA. Hydrocarbons. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 147.
Review Date 10/14/2025
Updated by: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.