79 year old Miami woman's leg severed when pressure cooker explodes

[malaise]

Talk about a freak accident.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/fl-miami-pressure-cooker-20110519,0,6466272.story
<snip>
A Miami woman's leg was severed Thursday morning when a pressure cooker exploded next to her, WPLG- Ch.10 reports.

The 79-year-old woman was cooking in her home when something caused the pressure cooker to fall off the stove. When the cooker hit the ground, it exploded and shrapnel sliced through the woman's leg below the knee, Miami Fire Rescue officials said.

Luckily, another family member was inside the home in the 1700 block of Southwest 24th Court at the time and placed a tourniquet on the woman's leg to slow the bleeding, officials said.
------------------------------

We haven't used out pressure cooker in at least 25 years but it's a gorgeous pot.

[LiberalLoner]

1. That's it, I'm never buying a pressure cooker. Ugh. n/t

[Kceres]

2. Growing up I heard all kinds of pressure cooker horror stories.

I've always been too afraid to use one.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

5. Modern ones have an emergency relief valve. Which makes them much safer.

I don't think they had those back in the days when they used to blow up if you didn't watch the pressure in them.

[malaise]

7. My mom loved hers but she told us lots of horror stories

My little sis gave me a beautiful stainless steel one but we rarely used it to pressure anything. We use it as a regular pot.
My lil sis died in 2005 - can't believe a pressure cooker could outlast her.

I know lots of people who are really afraid of using pressure cookers.

[Exultant Democracy]

49. Sorry you lost your little sister. Losing a younger sibling is up there with losing a child

My mother lost her little brother around the same time and it is still hard for her. When was talk about him we spend about equal times crying over his loss, and laughing about all the joy he gave us.

[malaise]

51. It was terrible

We still cry at reunions or when we remember little things about her but there are many memories to laugh about as well.

[pacalo]

15. Same here. I've had eggs explode in a regular pot -- I know my limits. ;)

(Of course that was when I was newly married & we were playing Atari, oblivious to what was going on in the kitchen.)

:silly:

Poor woman.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

3. Poor woman! Now I'm going to be extra, extra careful not to knock my pressure cooker off the stove!

Not that I ever have, mind you, but still...that's some scary stuff!

[malaise]

9. Still wondering how that happened

Pressure cooker goes on a back burner

[Lone_Star_Dem]

14. Or, at least they're supposed to.

If nothing else this should be a good reminder of why. :(

[Jazzgirl]

18. I have been using pressure cookers for over 35 years.

I have never had anything like that. Even my old one has the safety valve on it. I've never knocked any pot off the stove so that probably does add another dynamic to it. It's kind of odd so I wonder if it was on a front burner with the handle turned out instead of turned back away from the edge of the stove. That's the only way it could get knocked over. I also wonder how old this pot is?

[WinkyDink]

33. When you're 79 and have to reach, you'll know.

[malaise]

46. Yep we should spare a thought for the poor lady

79 is hard enough without losing a leg.

[JVS]

57. An evil cat.

[snagglepuss]

83. My newest pressure is Lagostino which has two small handles on either

side and I don't need to run it under water to reduce the pressure. With my other I've never knocked them off though I will keep that in mind.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. My mom used a pressure cooker quite a lot when I was a kid.

The thing made this awful clattering sound when it built up a head of steam - that little valve doojobby on top would rattle and spit steam. It was a bit unnerving. Never exploded, though.

The reason for using a pressure cooker was that you could cook stuff a lot faster. Microwave ovens probably made them obsolete, although I think you can still buy them.

[Warpy]

8. They're far from obsolete!

Pressure cooking is the only way to get larger beans done at my altitude. Oh, the crockpot does an OK job on kidney beans and black beans, but it balks at cooking soybeans and chickpeas. The pressure cooker is also the best way to get a really cheap, tough, shoe leathery piece of meat fork tender and flavorful.

The microwave is good for leftovers.

[malaise]

11. Not if you soak the beans overnight

Mom used hers mostly for pot roasts and quick stews.
We don't eat red meat so we haven't had to use it

[Warpy]

42. I live at 6000 feet

and trust me, soaking doesn't do any good, at all.

[malaise]

44. I never knew that

I learn something new everyday

[Sonoman]

26. I exploded a huge Turducken in mine last Thanksgiving.

I had a local farmer make up this huge Turducken out of his own birds.

Got drunk early (Thanksgiving Day is the only day I start drinking before noon) and forgot to put the thing in the oven.

Neighbor said she had a pressure cooker that was big enough to hold the thing (it was HUGH!).

Put it in and forgot about it.

Sounded as if a mortar round had landed in my kitchen.

The whole thing was like a casserole - Turkey, duck, chicken, dressing and root vegetables.

We served right out of the cooker.

One of the best dishes I have ever had.

Sonoman

[malaise]

29. LOL

Hehehehehe - sounds great :D

[Warpy]

41. In other words, it blew the pressure relief valve right out

and you're lucky you didn't have to eat off the ceiling. Pot contents can occasionally follow the steam when that happens.

However, those pressure relief valves are what make cookers now safe, even if you do space them.

Mine is huge, too, I got it to can quarts of fruits, veggies, and soups.

However, when you don't space it, it does produce amazing food.

[slackmaster]

12. You can't can stuff in a microwave oven

Seven-quart pressure cooker FTW!

[kestrel91316]

31. You can't can stuff in a pressure COOKER either. You need a pressure CANNER.

Pressure cooker:
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=pressure+cooker&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&wrapid=tlif130584650553110&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=13873117502816136970&sa=X&ei=7aLVTebbFYjQsAOW3dyxBw&ved=0CJABEPMCMAM&biw=923&bih=590#



Pressure canner:
http://www.canningsupply.com/product/All-American_Pressure_Canner/canners

[slackmaster]

47. They work exactly the same way. I have one of each. My canner is made of aluminum, so I wouldn't...

...cook any kind of food in it directly.

My stainless steel pressure cooker isn't large enough to hold more than two one-quart Mason jars or three pints, so I've never used it for canning.

[xmas74]

32. They're making a comeback.

I read an article on them a couple of months ago in a magazine (Mother Earth, Backhome, Mary Jane, or one of them-don't remember which one). Anyway, it compared different models and said they were coming back in with more families at least attempting to stay home and do their own cooking. It advised buying new so all the safety features were up to date, instead of buying used.

[nadinbrzezinski]

37. I'll join them in that warning

[xmas74]

40. I love old kitchen things in general

but pressure cookers and canners, canning lids, etc, are a no-no in my book. I'd rather buy new and know they are safe.

Some nice cast iron, otoh...

[Sal Minella]

6. I've used a pressure cooker for nearly 60 years and never had any

sort of problem.

It's fuel-efficient (cooking time is about one-third of traditional boiling) and it tenderizes tougher cuts of meat and is great for cooking soaked dried beans.

A car accident is a terrible thing, but we don't see people swearing off driving cars after somebody has an accident.

A pressure cooker is fast and efficient in the kitchen, and I wouldn't be without mine.

[Warpy]

10. Likely this one had a hidden flaw in the metal

and hit exactly the wrong part of the pot when it fell. Nature always sides with that hidden flaw, so the lady lost her leg.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

17. I use mine often and have for around 15-years.

I love it. It's a great way to cook nutritious food in a fraction of the time. I also have a large one I use for canning. I couldn't live without them. :)

[Horse with no Name]

13. I have a brand new pressure cooker

but I am terrified to use it. I've heard too many horror stories.

[malaise]

16. Just follow instructions

and make sure you never turn the stove on high.
They do work.

[slackmaster]

19. Follow the instructions, take precautions to ensure that the main vent doesn't get clogged, and...

...make sure the emergency blow-out plug is in good condition (i.e. it's made of rubber and hasn't been replaced by a bolt, a nut, and a couple of rubber gaskets.)

Over-filling them is a common mistake.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

21. I was the same way

I actually cringed the first time mine started "cooking." I was peeking around the corner of the kitchen peering at it expecting it to blow at any moment! :rofl:

If it's a new model it has a really neat feature, an emergency relief valve. It's a pressure sensitive area in the lid designed to blow out and release steam if you were to screw up and let the pressure get to high. It's the only reason I finally began using a pressure cooker. Without it I'd still be too scared I'd mess up and blow our dinner into space. :D

[malaise]

25. You'd be surprised to know that you have lots

of company - many people are terrified of pressure cookers

[xmas74]

34. I really want one

I just don't know what to look for.

I like to imagine all the tasty, healthy foods I can make for myself and my daughter in them.

[MuseRider]

64. I did the same

and I made my children play in the other room. I use mine for canning. That is the only time I use it so I have to check it really well to make sure the seals are OK. I still watch it really closely.

[snagglepuss]

69. I grew up using a pressure cooker and still use one, I've never boiled a potato or carrot

in my life other than in soup. I have three and couldn't live without them. I can make a delicious homemade chicken soup in 30 minutes. I'd bet dollars to donuts more people are injured by deep fryers.

[ZombieHorde]

20. Seems unreal. nt

[Raine]

22. My grandmother had one of those things. Geesh I HATED it

everything that came out of it tasted like crap, well actually it tasted like nothing because it was water logged, falling to pieces with no taste whatsoever. :puke: I remember everyone having to stand back while she releashed the steam value thing on top with a long long fork. :scared:

[malaise]

24. My mom cooked some great food in her pressure cooker

Have to disagree

[pipi_k]

50. So did mine, and she wasn't even that great a cook n/t

[Raine]

76. Your mother probably knew how to use it

after reading this thread I'm thinking that my grandmother just didn't use it properly and all this time I thought it was just the machine. My grandmother was a good cook but apparently never got the hang of using a pressure cooker.

[xmas74]

36. I think that's the cook.

(Not meant to insult your grandmother.)

There was a woman I worked with many years ago-an old farm wife-who swore by her pressure cooker. Everything she made was fresh, full of flavor, and all the meat was fork-tender. I used to admire not only her cooking but the pressure cooker. She even offered to leave it to me when she passed on but I was too afraid of it. (Her children didn't want any of her kitchen things and she was taking requests.)

I should have taken her up on the cooker, the canner, the huge dehydrator in the backyard, and all the canning equipment.

[Raine]

74. My grandmother was a sweetheart but I have nightmares

about that food especially the potatoes with water dripping off them :cry: and the meat :puke: no wonder I became a vegetarian at an early age.

[xmas74]

78. My grandmother wasn't the best either.

I understand.

[Liberal_in_LA]

59. I never understood the benefit of cooking stuff until it was a pile of mush

[snagglepuss]

70. Wll that is because she over cooked everything. Carrots take 3 minutes, anything

only longer they'd be mush. The fact that it cooks so quickly with only a tiny bit of water is what makes them so healthy and good for the enviroment as it cuts down on enery consumption.

[Raine]

75. I thought that was just the way everything came out

of a pressure cooker. It's strange because she was a good cook when she didn't use it but apparently she didn't understand how it worked.

[Stevenmarc]

23. I own 3 of them and never had an issue, my family has used them for years.

Putting this in the " Shit Happens" pile.

[lynne]

27. In other news, woman falls in shower and breaks leg -

- so I guess no one will ever shower again?

Pressure cookers been used in my family as long as I can remember, at least 4 generations. Not about to stop because of the occasional unfortunate accident.

[kestrel91316]

28. Remind me not to knock my pressure cooker OR pressure canner

off the stove next time I use them.

[lillypaddle]

30. Dayum

My mother always told me stories about pressure cookers (I doubt that she ever even used one), but those stories stuck with me. Even though I love to cook and cook a lot, I've never had the desire to try something so "dangerous."

I have had, however, a Pyrex dish literally explode on me when I took it out of the oven. Could have been pretty tragic, seeing as huge glass shards flew everywhere, luckily missing me and eyes and other vital organs. But what a mess.

Life's a crap shoot, eh? :)

[nadinbrzezinski]

35. I smell a... mythbusters coming up

now two things.

1.- MODERN Pressure Cookers are far safer with valves that will actually release pressure far better, so they never get to the levels where yes... the vessel will fail.

2.- I am guessing a medium to largish pot, and yes that can build that much pressure.

I have considered getting one for some years. They are great for things like making a faster chicken or yes... beans. but quite frankly, no need for one

[xmas74]

39. I want one too.

A woman I worked with swore by hers. She made all their soups, beans, meats, etc and everything was fantastic.

[nadinbrzezinski]

43. my mom has one

Well her 30+ year old finally failed... so they got a new one. They use it for beans and all that...

And in Mexico City it works very well.

I splurged and got a dutch oven. That thing IS almost exclusively the only pot I use. No, I am not kidding.

[xmas74]

48. I have two dutch ovens

both cast iron that I've found at rummage sales. I use them whenever I camp.

[pipi_k]

52. Just got one for Mothers Day.... I have other

cast iron pans but wanted a Dutch Oven too.

I can't believe all the years I wasted on Teflon pans.

Cast iron is the best, and it's not that hard to care for.

First time I used my Dutch Oven I made a chicken/noodle casserole in it. One pan meal. Boil the noodles...add the cream of chicken soup and frozen peas and chicken breasts...top with bread crumbs, cover, and put it in my toaster oven.

Mmmmm..... good stuff! :)

[malaise]

56. Now I'm hungry

Sounds delish! :D

[malaise]

55. I swear by my Dutch Oven

although we call it a Dutch Pot here

[malaise]

45. That would be a cool show

No way we'd use the pressure after all these years and we don't need a new one.

[pipi_k]

38. My mom used hers all the time and I was scared to death of it...

but when I got older I did get one like it.

One time the steam blew off the jiggler thing and spewed all over, and it condensed on the linoleum floor. The poor cat got scared and tried to run away but couldn't get anywhere because the floor was wet.

Anyway. I got rid of it and didn't use one for years.

Then I got one of the new ones that are supposed to be safer. They do have safety locks on them to prevent blow offs. The tops will not come off until the pressure drops enough to unlock them. Don't know what happens if they get dropped, though. Maybe the locks even work then. Anyway, I feel a whole lot better about using the new pressure cookers than the old ones.

[Name removed]

53. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[elocs]

54. I've used modern pressure cooker for years and there's no way for them to explode.

It would pop the safety valve first. For me my pressure cooker is as invaluable as my microwave. I love it.

[Xithras]

58. My grandmothers exploded when I was a kid.

I don't remember the holiday, but we were all at my grandparents house for a BBQ. My grandmother had put the pressure cooker on the stove, came out back, and then forgot about it. A while later we were all playing a game (volleyball or badminton...I remember the net) when an explosion broke the kitchen window. The top of the cooker had blown completely off, smashing the vent hood and putting a big dent in the refrigerator as it flew across the room. EVERYTHING was covered in sweet potato goo.

That was the same day my little sister discovered fire, while playing with a match in my grandparents bathroom.

Now that I think about it, that may have been the last time they had a holiday at their house....

[malaise]

61. Damn!

Glad no one was hurt

[lonestarnot]

67. Both of them?

[struggle4progress]

60. I have one I use all the time. But I usually use it for slow cooking instead of fast cooking

Best way in the world to make pot roast, especially if you plan ahead: dump a rockhard frozen roast into the cooker, add some wine and water, bring it up to temp, shut it off and let it cool completely, open it up, add some carrots and garlic and onion and spices (black pepper corn, mustard, oregano or such) bring it up to temp, shut it off and let it cool completely, open it up, add potatoes and diced canned tomato, bring it up to temp, shut it off and let it cool until it's safe to open it up -- meat'll shred with a fork, moist

[Renew Deal]

62. My mom had one.

I don't remember any problem, but I remember that thing being volatile. :nuke:

[Canuckistanian]

63. My mom used one for 15 years

Kind of unusual design - a very HEAVY round piece that went over the relief valve and danced around while the food was cooking.

My mom made the best Swiss Steaks and Ribs with it.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

65. That's the one I remember.

That heavy round weight sat on top of the relief valve and rattled loudly while the cooker was cooking. I do remember my mom making excellent pot roast with it.

I don't know what happened to that cooker. Maybe I'll buy a new one and make pot roast. Mmmmm. Pot roast.

[malaise]

66. Yep mom would buy some ordinary cuts and make a great

pot roast with her pressure cooker...and yes that weight danced big time and made lots of noise.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

68. This one!

There's a blast from the past...

[Canuckistanian]

71. Similar...

But THIS is the one I remember:

[Manifestor_of_Light]

72. I remember Presto cookers.

Mom had two or three.

My grandmother managed to forget a chicken cooking and melted an aluminum pan and it destroyed the burner. The aluminum pot was in a well, where the burner is several inches below the surface and the pot sets into it.

I looked down into the remnants of the pot and I saw nothing but black and gray ash and a 2 inch long cremated chicken bone.

Grandma cooked everything into mush too.

[malaise]

77. Mom had a Presto

LOL.

[Mimosa]

73. Hawkins Futura pressure cookers may be safer

I've owned a 4 quart Hawkins Futura pressure cooker for nearly 20 years. It's in great shape. This topic reminds me I need to use it more often as it saves me time in the kitchen. The way the lid works is often compared to an airplane door. It cannot 'blow off'.

http://www.tajappliances.com/main/page_products_hawkins_futura.html

[malaise]

80. Never saw that one before

Pressure cookers save way more energy than microwave ovens

[CanonRay]

79. My wife uses one all the time

best pot roast in the world.

[Le Taz Hot]

81. Pressure cookers are perfectly safe

if they are newer (should have at least 3 relief valves) and you follow directions. If it "fell off the stove" it was probably not placed on the burner squarely to begin with. If the whole thing was rocking back and forth violently enough for the actual pot to move, she had the heat on way too high.

Pressure cookers get a bad wrap because the old ones only had 1 relief valve. Today's are perfectly safe. I have a 22-quart that I use all the time and I've never had any problems.

[malaise]

82. she had the heat on way too high

Most likely