A French fitness blogger has been killed after a whipped cream dispenser exploded in her home.
The device struck Rebecca Burger in the chest, causing her to have a heart attack. Her family announced the 33-year-old’s death on her Instagram page to her 160,000+ followers and her 55,000 Facebook page fans.
The statement said: “It is with great sadness we announce the death of Rebecca who died on June 18 2017 in a domestic accident in the home.”
They also posted a picture of a cream dispenser similar to the one that killed Burger, adding: “This is an example of the cream siphon which exploded and hit Rebecca’s chest, causing her death.
“The siphon which caused her death was sealed. Don’t use this product in your homes! Tens of thousands of the faulty devices are already in circulation.”
The devices work by injecting gas into a metal container, creating high pressure within the dispenser. Faults on the connectors can cause the capsules to break and expel at high speed.
In 2014 the French Government issued a warning to 60 million consumers of the risks of using such kitchen tools, stating some brands presented explosion hazards which can cause serious injuries, especially to the hands and face.
The BBC cites one victim of an exploding cream dispenser as telling a radio show: “I had six broken ribs and my sternum was broken.
“At the hospital, I was told that if the shock and blast had been facing the heart, I would be dead now.”
An investigation has been opened into Burger’s death, Le Parisiene reported.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents states more accidents happen at home than anywhere else, with approximately 6,000 deaths in the UK each year as the result of such.
It cites falls as the more common accidents, and states more women than men over the age of 65 die as a result of an accident in the home.