‘It just split at the seams’: Teen suffers horrific burns after Kmart product fails
- Replies 5
Household items we rely on for comfort and convenience can sometimes pose unexpected dangers—especially when they fail without warning.
What started as a routine night for one family quickly turned into a medical emergency, leaving a teenager with severe injuries and raising concerns about product safety.
Now, questions are being asked about how such incidents occur and what consumers can do to protect themselves.
A Victorian father spoke out about his anguish after his 16-year-old daughter suffered severe third-degree burns when her hot water bottle allegedly split open.
Shanae Fox, from Wangaratta, had been using the bottle to ease abdominal pain before going to bed when it suddenly burst, covering her midsection in scalding water.
Her father, Paul, recalled how she had only been in her room for about 20 minutes before emerging in shock, visibly shaking from the pain.
‘She had it on her belly for maybe 10 minutes...It just split at the seams,’ he said.
Acting quickly, he told her to get in the shower before realising the full extent of her injuries.
She was taken to a local hospital before being airlifted to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne in the early hours of the morning.
Doctors performed skin grafts a few days later, and she remained bedridden, unable to walk due to the severity of the burns.
‘I’ve never seen blisters like it–they were the size of an egg and full of fluid,’ Paul said.
The hot water bottle was an Anko-branded item, Kmart’s in-house label, which Paul believed was purchased about a year ago.
A similar product remained available for sale at the retailer for $10, according to the family.
When approached by media, Kmart had been unaware of the incident but later contacted Paul, who was also expecting to hear from its parent company, Wesfarmers.
The extent of Shanae’s recovery remained uncertain, and Paul anticipated staying in a hotel for another week while she received treatment.
Running low on funds, he launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the unexpected accommodation costs.
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), around 200 Australians are hospitalised each year due to burns from hot water bottles.
A similar case involving a 21-year-old NSW woman in 2019 had previously drawn attention to the risks.
Paul said nurses had told him incidents like his daughter’s happened ‘quite a lot’.
Authorities warned that burns from hot water bottles could lead to infections, require extensive medical treatment, and cause permanent scarring.
The consumer watchdog urged people to avoid using boiling water and to inspect bottles regularly for cracks or wear that might lead to leaks or ruptures.
In a previous story, frustrated shoppers called out a major retailer after a product failed to perform its basic function.
Their outrage sparked a discussion about quality control and consumer expectations.
Read more about the backlash and why customers were left disappointed.
With hot water bottles being a common household item, do you think more needs to be done to ensure their safety?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
What started as a routine night for one family quickly turned into a medical emergency, leaving a teenager with severe injuries and raising concerns about product safety.
Now, questions are being asked about how such incidents occur and what consumers can do to protect themselves.
A Victorian father spoke out about his anguish after his 16-year-old daughter suffered severe third-degree burns when her hot water bottle allegedly split open.
Shanae Fox, from Wangaratta, had been using the bottle to ease abdominal pain before going to bed when it suddenly burst, covering her midsection in scalding water.
Her father, Paul, recalled how she had only been in her room for about 20 minutes before emerging in shock, visibly shaking from the pain.
‘She had it on her belly for maybe 10 minutes...It just split at the seams,’ he said.
Acting quickly, he told her to get in the shower before realising the full extent of her injuries.
She was taken to a local hospital before being airlifted to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne in the early hours of the morning.
Doctors performed skin grafts a few days later, and she remained bedridden, unable to walk due to the severity of the burns.
‘I’ve never seen blisters like it–they were the size of an egg and full of fluid,’ Paul said.
The hot water bottle was an Anko-branded item, Kmart’s in-house label, which Paul believed was purchased about a year ago.
A similar product remained available for sale at the retailer for $10, according to the family.
When approached by media, Kmart had been unaware of the incident but later contacted Paul, who was also expecting to hear from its parent company, Wesfarmers.
The extent of Shanae’s recovery remained uncertain, and Paul anticipated staying in a hotel for another week while she received treatment.
Running low on funds, he launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the unexpected accommodation costs.
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), around 200 Australians are hospitalised each year due to burns from hot water bottles.
A similar case involving a 21-year-old NSW woman in 2019 had previously drawn attention to the risks.
Paul said nurses had told him incidents like his daughter’s happened ‘quite a lot’.
Authorities warned that burns from hot water bottles could lead to infections, require extensive medical treatment, and cause permanent scarring.
The consumer watchdog urged people to avoid using boiling water and to inspect bottles regularly for cracks or wear that might lead to leaks or ruptures.
In a previous story, frustrated shoppers called out a major retailer after a product failed to perform its basic function.
Their outrage sparked a discussion about quality control and consumer expectations.
Read more about the backlash and why customers were left disappointed.
With hot water bottles being a common household item, do you think more needs to be done to ensure their safety?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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