A popular squishy toy that looks like a dumpling is facing new scrutiny after Lancaster fire officials linked a counterfeit version to a rowhome fire and laboratory testing found the toys can contain highly flammable and toxic chemicals.
Lancaster City Fire Marshal Tom Hoffman said a counterfeit squishy dumpling purchased by a family a day before an Aug. 5 fire acted as a catalyst in the blaze, according to WGAL. The fire broke out about 3 a.m. in the 100 block of North Reservoir Street, damaged two rowhomes and sent one person to a hospital with minor burns.
Hoffman said the toys can burst when exposed to an ignition source, spreading burning material and helping a fire grow.
After the fire, Hoffman contacted a Georgia laboratory to determine what was inside a counterfeit dumpling. Testing found chemicals including benzene, toluene and cyclohexene, substances that are both flammable and potentially toxic…