A 26-year old person decided to have a cup of coffee. He took a cup
of water and put it in the microwave to heat it up (something that he had done numerous times before). I am not sure how long he set the timer for, but he told me he wanted to bring the water to a boil.

When the timer shut the oven off, he removed the cup from the oven. As he looked into the cup, he noted that the water was not boiling, but instantly the water in the cup “blew up" into his face.

The cup remained intact until he threw it out of his hand but all the water had flown out into his face due to the build up of energy. His whole face is blistered and he has 1st and 2nd degree burns to his face, which may leave scarring. He also may have lost partial sight in his left eye.

While at the hospital, the doctor who was attending to him stated that this is fairly common occurrence and water (alone) should never be heated in a microwave oven. If water is heated in this manner, something should be placed in the cup to diffuse the energy such

as: a wooden stir stick, tea bag, etc. It is however a much safer choice to boil the water in a teakettle.


General Electric's response:
Thanks for contacting us. I will be happy to assist you. The e-mail that you received is correct. Micro waved water and other liquids do not always bubble when they reach the boiling point. They can actually get superheated and not bubble at all.

The superheated liquid will bubble up out of the cup when it is moved or when something like a spoon or tea bag is put into it. To prevent this from happening and causing injury, do not heat any liquid for more than two minutes per cup. After heating, let the cup stand in the microwave for thirty seconds before moving it or adding anything into it.

THANKS FOR THIS ADVISE

I AM VERY FOND OF BOILING WATER WITH THE MICROWAVE, I NEVER KNEW ITS THIS DANGEROUS

THANKS O

I CANT IMAGINE HAVING THOSE BURNS

I WISH THE VICTIM QUICK RECOVERY.

Please read more about microwave is not healthy for you

how can someone boil water in a microwave? Its like cooking rice in a microwave - isint it?

Like woh, you mean i was this close to losing my eye sight. I do this like all the time.

Unless your cup and the water you are boiling are absolutely clean, this is highly unlikely.
If you can see bubbles in the water you are boiling, then it's unlikely to have been superheated.

I never heard this b4.I always boil water in the micro wave to make eba when am outside my home.But it always show bubble that is, it has reached a certain heating level.But I don't usually cover the plastic that I use in boiling it.
I had a similar experience when I was boiling an egg, in the micro-wave I thought it was o.k so I decided to remove it.As I was trying to peel off the shell ,my God it exploded and made a serious sound everything got spilled into my face if not for God something else would have happened.The shambles entered into my eyes lid.
Since then like this 'mo se ere gele mo'.I have not tried it again
May God heal the victim speedily.

I just wonder what kind of harm we are causing to our body by consuming foods and drinks heated in the microwave if it builds up so much energy to explode in such manners. And when it does not explode, the food we heat retains such radiation/energy and we send it right into our body. God will open our eyes.

Radiated Coffee.
cool