A Darlington man said it was “like a mini bomb going off” when a beer can exploded, soaking him and his kitchen in stout.
Retired businessman Mick Wood, 54, had only just returned from Asda’s Whinbush Way store on Wednesday evening (September 23), when he placed a multipack of beer on his kitchen worktop.
But as he opened the box, a can of the Asquith 1965 Dry Irish Stout suddenly burst without warning, splitting down the side and drenching him.
Asquith 1965 Dry Irish Stout cans suddenly burst without warning
The Asquith 1965 range is exclusive to Asda, and the Dry Irish Stout, brewed by Siren Craft Brew, was introduced this month. The supermarket said it had received no reports of any other incidents with the profuct but had apologised to Mick and made the manufacturer aware.
Mick said: “We bought the cans, put them in a bag and brought them home. They had not been shaken about or anything like that.
“I put them on the kitchen worktop and, as soon as I put my finger on the corner of the box to open it, one of the cans exploded.
“It went all over me and all over the kitchen. My wife was standing next to me, and it sounded like a mini bomb going off.
“I was absolutely soaked. You are just standing there thinking, ‘What on earth has happened?’ The can had literally exploded.”
Mick took a picture of the can split completely open along its side.
While he was left shocked, Mick said his biggest concern was that somebody could be hurt if the same thing happened again.
Asquith 1965 Dry Irish Stout cans suddenly burst without warning
He said: “The can exploded outwards and the metal where it split was sharp. What if a child had been near it, or what if it had gone off close to somebody’s face or eye?
“You could cut yourself on it. If you had electronics nearby, the beer could go all over them. Imagine if it happened inside a car and think about the damage it could cause.
“These are pressurised cans and, when they go off like that, they are dangerous. That is why I am trying to make people aware of it and make sure it does not happen to somebody else.”
Asquith 1965 Dry Irish Stout cans suddenly burst without warning
Mick contacted Asda who initially offered £10 on a gift card as a “goodwill gesture”.
After he continued to stress his concern for safety rather than compensation, he said the offer was increased to £15.
He said he “did not accept the money” because he wanted the supermarket to investigate why the can had burst and determine whether others from the same batch could be affected.
Mick said: “I told them that a refund was not the point. My question was, ‘What are you going to do about it?’ I was trying to tell them that this could be dangerous.
“I am not concerned about £10 or £15. I want to know whether they are investigating the batch, whether the remaining cans will be examined and whether the manufacturer has been informed.
Asquith 1965 Dry Irish Stout cans suddenly burst without warning
“This is not just a possibility of a can exploding. It happened. You do not want it happening a second, third or fourth time and then finding out about the danger when it is too late.
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“I think it is disgusting that Asda appear not to be taking it seriously. I have tried contacting them in different ways, but I do not feel that my safety concerns have been answered.”
A spokesperson for Asda said: "We sell thousands of Asquith Irish Nitro Stout cans and this is the only complaint we’ve received, with no reports of any similar issues with cans on shelves in our stores.
"We have however made the manufacturer aware of the complaint, apologised to the customer and offered a gesture of goodwill for their experience."