Once, ONCE have I EVER left a candle burning and left, and that was an accident. I realized it after I'd been gone a while and even though I was only gone for 2 1/2 hours, I thought about it the ENTIRE time.... I was so glad for three things. It was a tin, it was almost full, and it was on my stove in the center of the kitchen burning with NOTHING around it. Still, I thought about it CONSTANTLY. NEVER again. I was lucky. Don't be stupid and do it on purpose!!! -Kristi