Photo: RUSA
The mother was carrying the urn with the boiled water when the handle broke which resulted in the water falling on her and baby.
Photo: RUSA
A mother and her one-year-old baby suffered severe burn wounds on Tuesday afternoon when the urn she was carrying fell.
According to Prem Barlam, Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) spokesperson the incident happened at around 14:34 on Tuesday.
The mother said that she had boiled water to take a bath.
“She was in the process of carrying the urn from the kitchen to the bathroom when the handle broke which resulted in the water falling on her.”
He said the one-year-old was also in the kitchen at the time and suffered burns to her feet.
“The mother suffered severe burns to both her legs.”
The two were treated on scene before being transported to a hospital by ambulance.
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Rene Grobler, Netcare Milpark Hospital’s trauma programme manager, said most burns are preventable with a few precautions.
“People should seriously consider reducing the temperature of their geysers, as this significantly reduces the chances of scalding injuries, which are among the most common types of household burns.”
“When running bath water, never run the hot tap on its own into the bathtub. Rather, get into the habit of using both the hot and cold tap together to control the temperature of the water, which will help to prevent scalding injuries.”
“Kettles, urns, portable cooking appliances, and their cords should be kept well out of reach of children, as should pots and containers with hot liquids,” she cautions.
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