Man Hospitalized After Soup Can Explodes

A grocery shopper in rural Victoria, Australia, was hospitalized after a can of Heinz Big Red tomato soup exploded in his face, causing a deep laceration to his nose. The incident occurred as the man, Dick Lanyon, was about to dispose of the disfigured can.

This was the second such incident for Lanyon within 48 hours. He reported hearing an explosion from his kitchen two nights prior, only to discover the following morning that a soup can had ruptured and sprayed its contents around the cupboard. He then decided to discard the remaining cans of soup.

Lanyon suggested that the age of the cans, estimated to be three to five years old, might have contributed to the explosions, noting the absence of expiry dates. He emphasized that he did not expect a can of soup to explode under normal circumstances, distinguishing it from incidents where cans are heated improperly.

Food Standards Australia and New Zealand advises consumers to inspect canned goods for signs of damage, such as swelling, leakage, rust, dents, or damaged seams. The organization states that food from damaged cans should not be consumed.

Lanyon opted not to file a formal complaint with Heinz but issued a warning to others to be cautious of potentially compromised canned goods, expressing relief that the explosion did not cause more severe eye injuries.