Reports Of Spontaneous Glass Breakage On The Rise

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Glass tables and shower doors are very popular, but there are a number of reports of them shattering without warning.

New mother Erica Glaze says no one was home when her glass table shattered. The family's security camera captured the moment.

"I roll back the cameras and the table just spontaneously exploded on its own," said Glaze. "I'm just wondering what would've happened if we were home and he was around the table?"

This is not an isolated incident.

Last year, Larry Grobman told us how he came home to find his outdoor table shattered.

"There was glass in 10 feet in all directions," said Grobman.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has received hundreds of reports of shattering table tops over the past 10 years. Overall it's a rare occurrence, but it can happen with other types of tempered glass, including shower doors.

"When we temper glass, it breaks into little pieces like this," says Mark Meshulam, a glass expert.

Meshulam says tempered glass was created to reduce the risk of injury, unlike older glass that hasn't been treated and breaks into large jagged pieces.

But the process of tempering glass to make it stronger and safer can sometimes create tiny imperfections.

"It's tiny it's like the tenth of millimeter in diameter. You really can't see it with your eye," said Meshulam.

That imperfection can lead to undetectable cracks and one day, the glass gives way.

"The thing just completely explodes," Meshulam said.

Meshulam says one solution is to have a professional put safety film over glass tables and shower doors, keeping it from scattering.

If you experience this issue, call your door or table manufacture and report the incident to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.