Mother’s warning after exploding glass shower door injures toddler

Western Australia’s building watchdog is investigating shower screen explosions following several complaints.

Perth mother Teegan Stewart is warning others after her two-year-old Max was covered from head to toe with small shards of glass.

“Everyone was screaming - there was blood coming out of Max, it was going up the wall, it was everywhere, it was horrific,” Ms Stewart said.

Two children were inside the shower before Ms Stewart’s friend removed one child before the glass exploded on top of the other.

“Max was screaming and covered in glass, my friend was struggling to get him out from under the glass and not do any more damage to him.”

She says she has contacted Bunnings so it doesn’t happen to another child and wants the screens taken off the market.

“I was told that the glass was made in China and these imported panels go through a fair amount of movement on the way over - it could be caused by that, it could be that they're not made to the same standard,” Ms Steward said.

The WA Building Commission is investigating the incidents and says the faulty glass could be part of a dodgy batch.

Building Commissioner Peter Gow says safety/toughened glass is safe and any injuries from it can be serious but not life threatening, like injuries from ordinary glass.

“It’s a very rare occurrence; this tempered glass is used for a range of things,” Mr Gow said.

“It very rarely explodes; if it does it’s either a manufacturing defect or it’s been damaged a little bit in installation or transport.”