A mother was aghast when her daughter’s hot water bottle from Primark spilled, causing severe burns that led to her skin melting away. The incident occurred when Sydney, who was experiencing severe menstrual pain, made a hot water bottle for herself. Unfortunately, while sitting down to eat her dinner, the scalding water spilled onto her stomach and thighs. Her skin began to bubble and melt away as she screamed in agony.
Michelle, Sydney’s mother, was left horrified, saying, “My little girl’s skin bubbled before my eyes, and my mind went numb from the sheer horror.” She felt responsible for the accident, believing that she had not secured the lid correctly. She was in survival mode, along with her husband and daughter, doing everything they could to help Sydney.
After calling for an ambulance, Michelle waited for 20 minutes before it arrived, during which time her husband sprayed cold water on Sydney’s burns. At the hospital, Sydney received painkillers and had her burns bandaged in cling film before undergoing emergency debridement surgery, which involved scraping off the top layer of her skin. The family worked together over the next three weeks, using yoga blocks to raise Paige’s leg and making frequent trips to the hospital to change her bandages.
Michelle described the situation as “heartbreaking,” saying, “Her thigh became a deep purple, and the tissue was so thin that I could see her blood vessels because her skin couldn’t scab since there was no air getting to the incision.” Sydney now has hyperpigmentation and blisters covering more than 10% of her skin, and she will always have scars from the incident.
According to Michelle, the hot water bottle from Primark had a slit that allowed boiling water to flood out and completely remove the protective covering. She had purchased the bottle from the company a year earlier and claims that it includes a warning sign stating that it needs to be changed every two years due to quality degradation from the inside. Primark said that the label also warns against using hot water.
The family received $250 from Primark as a token of goodwill, but they now want to spread awareness to prevent this from happening to anyone else. “Please don’t use boiling water if you do use a hot water bottle; the risk isn’t worth it,” Sydney said. “At least something good came out of what happened to me if I can help anybody and prevent just one person from filling up a hot water bottle right from the kettle.”
Despite the trauma she has endured, Sydney has been incredibly resilient. Her skin is improving, thanks to rigorous therapy, and she is proud of how bravely she has handled the situation. Her mother is also proud of her and hopes that by spreading awareness, they can prevent others from suffering the same fate.
The incident highlights the importance of reading warning labels and following the instructions for any products we use. It also emphasizes the need to take safety precautions seriously to avoid accidents. As Michelle said, “The risk isn’t worth it.”
