A woman felt like she was being ‘burnt alive’ when an ‘out-of-date’ hot water bottle burst over her stomach and legs – and fears being scarred for life. Annie Thomas says she could be left permanently scarred after her water bottle ‘exploded’ on her on Tuesday, October 15th. The 28-year-old, from Nottingham, said she had been using the hot water bottle every day since September as the weather began to get colder outside.
After filling the bottle three quarters full with boiling kettle water, Annie put it back in its ‘thick’ fluffy cover and shoved it under her jumper to keep warm. But moments later, the financial service worker claims the product split open pouring the boiling liquid on her lower stomach and thighs.
Immediately, Annie said she ran to the shower screaming in a panic and stood under cold water to ease the ‘intense’ pain. She then soaked herself in a cold bath for hours before going to A&E to have her burn blisters popped with a needle and peeled.
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Annie’s burns beginning to heal after she had her bandages removed -Credit:Kennedy News/Annie Thomas
Horrifying photos show Annie’s thighs and lower tummy red raw and blistered. Since the incident last month, Annie is now raising awareness about replacing your hot water bottle every two years and checking their expiry dates to stop this from happening to anyone else.
Annie said: “This time of year I always get my hot water bottle out because I get cold really easily. Even before this had happened I had been using my hot water bottle every night, filling it up several times in a day the same way and nothing had ever happened.
“I had had it for years. I got it roughly six years ago as a Christmas present. I do use boiling water from the kettle and I am fully aware that you’re not meant to put direct boiling water in there but I always make sure to only fill it three quarters of the way and burp the water bottle to release the air out.
“I went about it like I normally do. I sat down with the hot water bottle in a fluffy cover under my jumper. When I sat down it burst all over me. It all happened so quickly.
The six-year-old ‘out-of-date’ hot water bottle 28-year-old Annie Thomas was using before it burst on her -Credit:Kennedy News/Annie Thomas
“I had a thick fluffy cover on my hot water bottle so when it burst I think this helped with the impact as it took a lot of the heat. I had a delayed reaction for sure but it took me a few seconds to realised what happened and then my whole body erupted in immense pain.
“The burns were on my lower stomach area, the majority of my right thigh and inner thigh. Essentially it was like being burnt alive. I just screamed and ran straight into the shower and rinsed myself down for about 15 minutes in cold water. I was panicking.
“The only relief I got was when I was under the cold water. When I stepped out of it, I felt this intense rush of pain that I couldn’t contain and all I wanted to do was scream.
“I kept getting in and out of the shower for the first hour but I couldn’t stand in the shower all night, so I ran a cold bath. I was just submerged in the cold bath until about 1am.
“I kept trying to get out but the pain was so intense. It just looked like a sunburn at this point as it hadn’t blistered yet. It was really pink.”
After submerging her body in cold water for hours, Annie went the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham the following day when her burns started to blister.
After visiting the hospital, 28-year-old Annie Thomas’ blister burns were popped and then bandaged -Credit:Kennedy News/Annie Thomas
At the hospital, a nurse popped her blisters and peeled off the dead skin before bandaging up her wounds. And although her burns are healing well, Annie claims she could be left with scarring from the boiling water spillage.
Annie said: “The burns are paler now and my inner thigh is a light pink. On my right thigh, where most of the burns are, the scabbing has gone but there are patches that I can already tell are going to scar.
“I think I will be left with a few scars but they are minimal to what I thought I’d be left with after seeing them under the dressing for the first time. I think it was easy to not think about it when I hadn’t seen it underneath the dressing yet.
“Seeing my legs for the first time and it being so sore and such a large area was really confronting and a massive shock to me. I just wanted to cry. It has all been quite overwhelming.”
Annie received her hot water bottle as a Christmas present six years ago and while she threw it away before checking its expiry date, she believes the product was out-of-date.
Annie worries she could be left permanently scarred -Credit:Kennedy News/Annie Thomas
She is now encouraging others to check the expiry date on their own hot water bottles and replace them every two years to reduce the risk of this happening to them. Annie said: “The thing I have been speaking about with so many people in person is the expiry date. People need to check this on their own hot water bottles and when they purchase one.
“I don’t think everybody knows about this and this is what was quite shocking to me. You also need to change your hot water bottle every two years.
“I think people think that hot water bottles are invincible and they are things that you have in your cupboards for years and they are always okay but actually it is just like anything, they will tire out eventually.
“Also don’t put boiling water straight into a hot water bottle like I did. I know I did and up to this point it has always been okay but I think it is always best to put some cold water in with it. Burping your hot water bottle is also very important and this is something I always did as it releases the air inside.”