Sengkang family shocked when glass stove top shatters suddenly

Singapore — A family in Sengkang had a shock when the glass top of their stove shattered suddenly, sending pieces of it flying into the living room five metres away. 

The owner of the flat said the stove had not been in use the whole day, according to a report on zaobao.com on Tuesday (March 3).

The person closest to the stove at that time was the domestic helper. She was washing dishes at the sink in the kitchen. She, too, was shocked but was not hurt.

The mother of the family, identified as Mrs Chen, was quoted by the Chinese news website as saying: “Fortunately, my children were not in the kitchen when the glass shattered. My 12-year-old often helps with cooking, and my younger son goes into the kitchen quite frequently.”

Her husband said he bought the stove in February 2017 and the family began using it when they moved into the flat in April that year. He claimed that the salesman told him the stove would work well for 10 years and was dismayed that it had lasted for less than three years.

Mrs Chen had even encouraged a neighbour to buy the same type of stove. She is now concerned that they will have the same problem.

She said: “We didn’t cook rice that day, so the glass surface of the gas stove was not hot.”

The family contacted the distributor of the stove the same day. After a check, the family was told the problem was not with the stove but with its maintenance and use. The glass had shattered because of a burner that had rusted.

A report on asiaone.com on Tuesday (March 3) mentioned a similar incident in an apartment in Pasir Ris three years ago. Investigations into that case showed that the stove itself was not faulty.

Manufacturers advise that care be taken with tempered glass panels. Tiny cracks may occur when objects are put on them too forcibly. The heat from the stove may cause the cracks to increase in size over time. However, they rarely shatter. /TISG