Hot water bottle bags seized after splitting and burning consumer

A BATCH of faulty hot water bottles that seriously burnt a customer has sparked a public warning, with more than 4000 products seized after the complaint.

A “hot water bag” that has been recalled after a customer was burnt.

A BATCH of faulty hot water bottles that could cause serious burns and injury has sparked a public warning.

Authorities seized more than 4000 “hot water bags” from Wens Bros Trading Pty Ltd’s Clayton warehouse and Hallam retail outlet after a tip-off from a consumer who was recently burnt when the product’s seams split.

Natural latex hot water bags have been recalled due to safety concerns.

The same company has been at the centre of product recalls for an exploding musical birthday candle, toys and novelty products.

‘EXPLODING’ MUSICAL BIRTHDAY CANDLE RECALLED

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RECALLED CARS REFITTED WITH POTENTIALLY DEADLY AIRBAGS

The customer, who bought the ‘natural latex hot water bag’ from a Ringwood discount store, suffered minor burns to her calf. Supply was traced to Wens Bros Trading. It is unclear how many of the defective items were sold.

A product recall notice has been published at www.recalls.gov.au.

Consumer Affairs Minister Marlene Kairouz said the “hot water bags” were unsafe and may not be robust enough to handle normal use.

She urged any consumer who had purchased the product to immediately stop using it and return for a refund.

“In the colder months, nothing is better than climbing into bed with a hot water bottle to keep warm — but this shouldn’t be accompanied by a fear that the bottle might burst,” Ms Kairouz said.

Testing for Consumer Affairs Victoria found the products did not have the rubber thickness and seam strength required and failed to meet mandatory safety standards. The products also carried insufficient instructions explaining how to use them safely.

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@KarenCollierHS