A user on TikTok is warning viewers about pressure cookers after one allegedly “explode[d] its contents” in her face, causing second-degree burns.
In a video with over 3.6 million views, TikTok user Becky Fargo (@beckyfargo) shows herself before and after the burns.
“I have second-degree burns all over my face, my neck, and my chest,” she explains. “It may take a week for the swelling to go down…I just wanted to say that pressure cookers are very dangerous and I will definitely not be using them again.”
@beckyfargo Pressure cooker dangers. My experience. #burn #burnsurvivor #explosion #pressurecooker #pressurecookerexplosion #burnt #2nddegreeburn #help #blisters #scarstoyourbeautiful #beautyforashes #jesusisfaithful #couldbeworse #stillsmiling #foryoupageofficial ♬ original sound – Becky
For context, “a pressure cooker is an airtight cooking device that cooks food quickly, thanks to the steam pressure that builds up inside,” notes Digital Trends.
Fargo is not the first to be injured by such a device. Late last year, a woman filed a lawsuit against the company behind the Ninja Foodi claiming that the “lid suddenly exploded off of her Ninja Foodi during normal use, spraying her with its scalding hot contents,” per AboutLawsuits. In 2021, a mother sued the creators of Instant Pot after one of their products allegedly exploded, burning her daughter severely.
In both of these lawsuits, the claimants allege that they believed that they had depressurized the device, and that safety features present on the device did not stop them from opening the lid before full depressurization. Fargo makes a similar claim in a follow-up video.
@beckyfargo Many of you wanted to know exactly what happened, what kind it was, etc. So here I made a video describing what happened and sharing what kind it was. This pressure cooker came in handy but I had the same issue before with this though it did not explode just would not release pressure. I definitely should have used more caution. I never thought anything about this happening. Just counted on it to work the way it was supposed to. #safety #pressurecooker #pressurecookerexplosion #burnt #blisters #burn #explosion #foryoupageofficial #couldbeworse ♬ original sound – Becky
According to Fargo, she had been cooking soup in her Tristar Power Pressure Cooker XL when she attempted to depressurize the machine. She believed she had done so, then removed the top. The top is not supposed to be removable if the machine is still under pressure, as its manual shows.
When this happened, she says hot soup sprayed all over her, causing severe burns.
Since the incident, Fargo has been documenting her recovery experience, with the burns appearing to heal as expected.
@beckyfargo Just a “Thank You” to everyone who has said a prayer and sent even a $1. You are so very much appreciated!! No amount of words could ever express the gratitude I am feeling from the outpouring of love and prayers coming my way! May the Lord bless you for your kindness!! #healingjourney #healing #desparate #bills #burnsurvivor #burn #blisters #hurt #fyp ♬ original sound – Becky
In the comments section of her videos, users expressed their sympathy while sharing their own thoughts about the use of pressure cookers.
“Whenever my mom cooked with a pressure cooker she would become EVIL about us not going into the kitchen. Truly never understood! But now?!? Wow,” a user said.
“My husband was a 911 dispatcher for 25 years,” added another. “He never let me get any sort of pressure cooker he saw this so often! Praying for quick healing.”
“And my husband thinks I’m crazy when I never use the pressure cooker we have. I want to throw it away,” declared a third.
The Daily Dot reached out to Fargo via TikTok direct message and Tristar via email.
Update 10:36am CT, Nov. 18, 2023:
In a TikTok direct message exchange with the Daily Dot, Fargo explained how the incident occurred.
“The safety mechanism is supposed to keep the lid from being opened while under pressure,” she wrote. “But it failed to do so and when I began to open, pressure blew lid off and contents into my face, neck and chest.”
While she says she’s been in touch with legal representation, she says the purpose of sharing her story was to warn others.
“My main focus is just letting people know. That was my primary reason for sharing. Just the dangers and risks. I never for one second ever thought about something like that happening. I never knew of anyone it happened to,” she stated. “I’ve got common sense. I knew what buttons to push to get it to do what I wanted it to do. That, however, wasn’t the problem. It had built up entirely too much pressure, didn’t release fully, and allowed me to open anyways.”
