Australian man hospitalised after pressurised soup tin explodes in his face
An Australian man has been hospitalised after a tin of tomato soup exploded in his face, leaving him with a sliced nose requiring medical treatment. The incident happened when Dick Lanyon from rural Victoria picked up a disfigured tin of Heinz Big Red soup from his pantry to dispose of it, but the lid detached explosively as he approached the bin. The warning highlights the dangers posed by damaged or old canned goods, which can pressurize dangerously over time.
Remarkably, this was the second tin of the same soup to detonate within 48 hours, with another can exploding in Mr Lanyon's kitchen two nights earlier. The cans were estimated to be three to five years old with no visible expiry date. Despite the injury, Mr Lanyon decided not to lodge a formal complaint with Heinz but has warned others to check for damage, following Food Standards Australia and New Zealand guidelines that recommend inspecting cans for swelling, leakage, rust, dents or damaged seams before use.
- Australian man hospitalised after tin of soup exploded in his face
- Second tin exploded within 48 hours; both cans were 3–5 years old
- Experts warn to check cans for damage before opening or consuming
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Tinned foods can pose an unexpected hazard if they become damaged or are stored too long. Bacteria inside a sealed tin can create internal pressure over time, sometimes causing the container to rupture explosively without warning. This pressure buildup is a known food safety risk that affects consumers.
Food safety authorities recommend inspecting tins before use, looking for signs such as swelling, leakage, rust, dents or damaged seams. These warning signs indicate that the seal may be compromised and bacteria may have contaminated the contents. Old or damaged tins should be handled with care and disposed of properly to avoid injury.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Manufacturers bear responsibility for ensuring their products remain safe even when aged or stored improperly, and should provide clear, durable expiry date markings on all packaging. Enhanced quality assurance and improved tinning technology could prevent dangerous pressurisation; when products cause injury due to manufacturing defects or inadequate labelling, companies must be held accountable.
The case against
Consumers bear primary responsibility for following established food safety guidelines—inspecting tins for damage, swelling and leakage before use—as recommended by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand. In this instance, the man recognised the tin was disfigured and was discarding it, demonstrating awareness of the hazard; manufacturers cannot control storage conditions or guarantee safety when consumers ignore basic precautions.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Aussie’s warning to check your kitchen after he was injured when a cold can of soup exploded in his face”.