Families Injured By Exploding Glass Tables
BOSTON (CBS) - A potential hazard could be lurking on decks and patios all over the country.
Over the past several years, there have been dozens of reports of glass table tops exploding. Little has been done to warn consumers however.
Vicki and Richard Boslow had not heard anything about the potential danger when their patio table shattered without warning.
"We were getting ready for our annual pool kickoff off and about an hour before 20 people were coming, we just heard a pop. We looked out the back door and there it was," he said.
That was two months ago and they are still pulling bits of glass out of the bushes around the pool.
Danielle Delauro was enjoying time with her family on the patio when her table shattered right in front of her. She received several cuts when pieces of glass sprayed all across her lap.
"The deepest cut was on my leg just above my knee," she said. "I just couldn't believe what had just happened. The glass literally just exploded."
What happened to the Delauros and the Boslows has been happening to families for years. Back in 2008, Jackie Thompson of Chelmsford showed us the bits of glass from her shattered table. The same thing happened to Andre Vesina of Belmont.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has received more than 140 complaints of tempered glass tables suddenly exploding. Many of those incidents caused injuries, including a toddler who needed 70 stitches on her face. Still, the government agency has not issued any kind of warning to consumers.
Glass expert Dr. Rick Reidy believes the problem may be due to chemicals in the glass, or in part of the production process which is similar to shrink-wrapping. He also said there may be a flaw in the chemical make-up of the glass that could be causing the problem.
The Boslow's are playing it safe with their new table. This time they bought one with a tile top.
