Pressure cooker explosions are one of the most dangerous accidents that can occur at home in your kitchen. In recent years, dozens of people have been burned or permanently injured.
Our law firm is currently filing cases Nationwide and would like to help you and your family if you have been the victim of an pressure cooker explosion.
Do I have a Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuit? If you or a loved one was injured or burned by a pressure cooker that exploded — even if the pressure cooker has not been recalled yet — you should contact our law firm immediately for a free case consultation. If you file a lawsuit, you could receive compensation for your injury, medical expenses, and more.
UPDATE: Nattork Pressure Cooker Explosion Burns Colorado Woman
A woman in Colorado was severely burned by an exploding Nattork® Electric Pressure Cooker and required skin-graft surgeries.
Tristar Pressure Cooker Explodes; Severely Burns Woman
A woman from Georgia has filed a lawsuit against Tristar Inc., the manufacturer of her Power Pressure Cooker XL, after she suffered severe burn injuries when the pressure cookers malfunctioned.
The woman, Samantha W., claims that her Tristar Pressure Cooker “exploded and caused hot steam and other contents to be discharged and severely burn her body,” according to the lawsuit.
Samantha received the Tristar Power Pressure Cooker XL as a Christmas gift. Two months later, in February 2017, she says she was preparing beef stew. When the meal should’ve been done, she says she heard a “strange humming and buzzing noise” from her pressure cooker.
Then, suddenly and without warning, she says the Power Cooker XL exploded and the top of the pressure cooker came off. She was severely burned by scalding-hot beef stew that exploded all over her body and her kitchen.
Exploding ALDI Pressure Cooker Burns 6 People
Six people suffered 2nd-degree or 3rd-degree burns when their ALDI Crofton Chef’s Collection 6L Stainless-Steel Pressure Cooker exploded boiling-hot food and steam. Click here to read more.
Texas Woman Burned by Instant Pot Explosion
In March 2018, ABC News reported that a mom from Katy, Texas was severely burned when her Instant Pot exploded in her kitchen. Click here to read more.
Woman in India Blinded After Pressure Cooker Explodes
A woman in India was permanently blinded in her left eye after a pressure cooker exploded in her face. The full extent of her injuries was not known until she had a CT scan, which showed the metal whistle of the pressure cooker lodged deep inside her skull. She had to undergo emergency surgery to remove the whistle, and while doctors were able to save her life, they were unable to save her left eye. Click here to read more.
TV Star: “Exploding Pressure Cooker Nearly Killed Me”
A businesswoman who starred on TV shows such as The Apprentice suffered disfiguring burns when a pressure cooker exploded and sprayed her with scalding-hot lentils. Click here to read more.
Pressure Cooker Explosion in Wisconsin
In December 2017, a pressure cooker exploded in an apartment in Madison, Wisconsin. No one was injured, but the explosion broke doors. residents were evacuated and the fire department was called.
The man said there was no warning that anything was wrong — until the lid exploded off the pressure cooker and damaged the oven and kitchen cabinets.
Madison Fire Department spokeswoman Cynthia Schuster said:
“The occupant said he was using the pressure cooker, which was on the electric stove, when the lid blew off without warning. The pressure from the blast also broke out the glass of a patio door and displaced two doors in an interior hallway.”
Pressure cooker explodes, nobody hurt in North Side incident, Madison Fire says
Instant Pot Explosions
Instant Pot Smart Pressure Cooker
Instant Pots are electrical pressure cookers with a number of safety features to avoid explosions. However, like any pressure cooker, accidents do happen. If your Instant Pot explodes, anyone nearby can suffer major burn injuries.
There is also a risk of property damage if the explosion occurs when you are not home. Pressure cookers can explode or overflow if the vent gets clogged, if the lid is opened before all of the pressure is safely released, or if the safety features are defective.
Tips to Avoid an Instant Pot Explosion
- Don’t leave your Instant Pot alone when it is on. The “set it and forget it” aspect of electrical pressure cookers is tempting, but you should not leave your house when your Instant Pot is cooking because it could overheat, run out of water, or overflow.
- Use enough water. Instant Pots require at least 1 cup of liquid to get to pressure and maintain pressure, but some recipes need more water. If the pot runs out of water, the Instant Pot will overheat and could burn the food.
- Do not allow your Instant Pot to overflow. Never fill your Instant Pot more than half-way. Be especially careful when cooking foods that increase in size when they cook, such as rice, beans, oats, pasta, cornmeal, etc. An overflowing pressure cooker poses a major burn hazard.
- Do not deep-fry in your Instant Pot. It is a bad idea to try to use your Instant Pot to deep-fry foods because this improper use could result in an explosion of hot oil.
Power Pressure Cooker Explosion
What is a Pressure Cooker?
Pressure cookers are useful kitchen appliances that use steam to cook food faster and more efficiently. Pressure cookers can be electric or stove-top, but both types work by trapping hot steam inside a pot with a locked-on lid.
As the heat causes liquids to boil, steam accumulates inside the pot and the pressure increases. This increases the temperature inside the pot to at least 250ºF, which is about 40º hotter than the boiling-point of water (212ºF).
Dangers of Pressure Cookers
You may be surprised to learn that the pressure inside a pressure cooker is not generally any higher than a can of soda — but just like shaking up a can of soda and popping the top, you will get a big mess if the liquids explode out of the container before the pressure is at a safe level. The difference is that pressure cooker explosions are far more dangerous because they involve boiling-hot liquids, sticky foods, and steam.
Why Do Pressure Cookers Explode?
There are generally two reasons why pressure cookers explode:
- Vent is clogged and the pressure forces the lid to open too soon, or it fails to release enough pressure at the end of cooking
- Lid opens before the pressure is reduced because the lock was defective, or a person unlocked it too soon
What Happens When a Pressure Cooker Explodes?
Here is a picture of what can happen when a pressure cooker explodes. You can see the metal lid embedded in the ceiling and hot food splattered all over the kitchen. The force of the explosion shattered the cooktop and caused the pressure cooker to fall into the stove.
Steam Explosion & Scald Burns
Pressure cooker explosions are actually “steam explosions,” in which boiling-hot steam under pressure is suddenly released. This creates a rapidly-expanding cloud of steam that can cause extensive scalding burn injuries to anyone nearby. Scalds are not very deep burns, but they are extremely painful and can cover large areas of skin.
Boiling Hot Food – Major Burn Hazard
The force of the exploding pressure cooker will also eject burning-hot food that sticks to a person’s skin and clothing, often resulting in severe 2nd- or 3rd-degree burns that cause scarring or require skin graft surgery. Pieces of metal shrapnel flying through the air can also cause severe cuts, bleeding, or even blindness if they hit a person’s eyes.
Pressure Cooker Injuries & Accidents
- Burns
- Skin graft surgery
- Steam burns
- Scalds
- Permanent scarring
- Bleeding
- Eye injuries or blindness
- Traumatic brain injuries (concussion)
- Infection
- Amputation
- Disfigurement
- Hospitalization
- Property damage
- Death
Do I have a Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuit?
The Product Liability Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new cases in all 50 states.
Free Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuit Evaluation: Again, if you or a loved one was injured or burned by any pressure cooker that exploded — even if that pressure cooker has not been recalled yet — you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit, and our lawyers can help.
