A counterfeit squishy dumpling toy was involved in an Aug. 5 fire that damaged two Lancaster City rowhomes and sent one person to a hospital with minor burns, WGAL reported. The fire began around 3 a.m. in the 100 block of North Reservoir Street. Lancaster City Fire Marshal Tom Hoffman said the family had purchased the toy the previous day and that it became a catalyst after encountering an initial heat source; he did not describe the toy as the sole cause of the fire.
What the fire marshal found
Hoffman sent the toy to a Georgia laboratory for analysis, according to WGAL. The testing identified benzene, toluene and cyclohexene—chemicals Hoffman characterized as both highly flammable and toxic. He told the outlet that exposure to heat can cause these toys to become hot, rupture and scatter burning material.
Hoffman notified the Consumer Product Safety Commission about the potential flammability danger two days after the fire, WGAL reported. The CPSC has separately warned that counterfeit toys may fail to meet federal safety requirements. Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams said no criminal charges will be filed in the fire, including against the child who was playing with the toy, according to WBAL NewsRadio.
Warning signs and safer disposal
Hoffman said consumers should be cautious with squishy toys that have a pronounced petroleum or chemical odor, visible rips or tears, missing safety warnings, or no manufacturer information or product markings. He advised buying name-brand products, keeping the toys away from children and heat, and placing a suspected counterfeit dumpling in two bags before discarding it, according to WGAL.
The CPSC advises consumers to stop using squishy toys when the maker is unknown, required safety information is missing, or the item has a strong chemical smell. WESH also reported that consumers should not microwave or intentionally heat these toys, because they can become dangerously hot, rupture and cause burns: WESH.
Broader product-safety concerns
The concerns are not limited to one Lancaster incident or to products identified as counterfeit. Consumer Reports said it found 33 reports submitted to the CPSC’s SaferProducts.gov database between January 2025 and July 2026 involving chemical burns, skin irritation or strong odors associated with sensory gel toys. Of the 25 reports that identified a retailer, 13 involved purchases from major retailers, including Walmart, Five Below, WinCo Foods and Dollar General, according to Consumer Reports.
Amazon told WESH that it had proactively removed some squishy toys from its store after safety concerns were reported. The company’s action followed a CPSC warning about counterfeit squishy products, while Consumer Reports urged the agency to examine the broader category rather than only suspected fakes: WESH.
For Lancaster families, the immediate guidance is to inspect these toys before use, discard items with unexplained odors or damage, and keep them away from stoves, heaters, microwaves and other sources of heat. The fire marshal’s findings remain specific to the toy involved in this fire; they do not establish that every squishy toy contains the same chemicals or presents the same hazard.
