The lawsuit was filed by Gene and Bridget Iovino, a couple from Canyon County, California. The wife, Bridget, was severely burned by an Elite Bistro 8-Quart Electric Pressure Cooker manufactured by Maxi-Matic and purchased at Kohl’s Department Store.
The incident occurred while Bridget was attempting to use the pressure cooker to make chicken stock.
She put in the ingredients and 10 cups of water, set the timer for 1 hour, and waited until the pressure cooker turned off automatically. She added more ingredients and set the timer again for 25 minutes.
According to the lawsuit, Bridget noticed a large amount of steam coming out of the pressure cooker immediately before it exploded:
“[Bridget] Iovino walked two steps away from the pressure cooker before it exploded, covering (her) with hot water and steam and leaving her with second- and third-degree burns.”
Maxi-Matic Elite Bistro Pressure Cookers have not been recalled. They are sold on TV through the Home Shopping Network (HSN) and major retailers like Kohl’s Department Stores.
The lawsuit accuses Kohl’s and Maxi-Matic of selling a defective product and failing to warn consumers about the potential risk.
In recent years, there have been several reports of people who were severely burned by the Maxi-Matic Elite Bistro Pressure Cooker. One report from June 2014 describes a 61 year-old woman who suffered severe burns to her face when it exploded.
In another report from October 2016, a Maxi-Matic Pressure Cooker explosion caused major property damage to a kitchen, but luckily the wife and children were not burned.
The lawsuit was filed in the California Superior Court of Los Angeles — In RE: Bridget Iovino et al. v. Kohl’s Department Stores Inc. et al. — Case No. BC596416.
Source: Canyon Country couple sue Kohl’s, pressure cooker maker after explosion
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