Calgary woman still seeking explanation after glass dining table exploded
It’s been a month and a half since Zarifa Hniedi’s tempered glass dining table top spontaneously exploded and she still hasn’t received any answers from The Brick, the store she purchased it at.
"I think it’s a manufacturer defect personally," said Hniedi.
"But I don’t know for a fact. I just wanted an explanation and all they said is there is no warranty on the glass and there is nothing we can do."
Hniedi bought the dining table set last summer and received it in October. One morning in mid-January, while her family was still sleeping, there was a noise from the kitchen and then hundreds of tiny pieces of glass went flying around the house.
"We had glass all the way in the cupboard and we are still finding chips of glass. All the way down to the basement and we even had glass all the way to the front door."
Hniedi says no one was in the kitchen and nothing was placed on the dining table.
She says she contacted customer services at The Brick online, by email and phone. She says a representative responded and said they’d look into it. She eventually received a phone call, but says they told her she wouldn’t get a refund and there would be no investigation.
Hniedi says she doesn’t want her money back. She wants answers.
"I know there is no warranty on the glass but at least do an investigation into why this has happened. Maybe there is a product recall, maybe they need to alert other customers that had bought the same brand or model."
An expert with Diamond Glass says tempered glass is meant to shatter into small pieces. This could make it safer compared to untempered glass, which may have broken into larger shards.
And while spontaneous glass explosion is rare and a cause is difficult to determine, temperature changes or small deficiencies or cracks can be a trigger.
Hniedi is still waiting to learn what happened to hers.
"This is a safety concern. We bought a ticking bomb and it exploded. Our lives would’ve been in danger if we were sitting at that table. Luckily that did not happen but what if another customer buys the same model and that happens to them?"
'A rare incident': The Brick responds
A spokesperson for The Brick echoed the thoughts expressed by Diamond Glass, saying that tempered glass is designed specifically so that if it breaks, it breaks into little pieces.
"This is a rare occurrence but does happen as a result of hard contact or heat to the glass," said Gregory Nakonechny in an email to CTV Calgary. "Contact or heat may expose an imperfection in the glass and cause the shattering. Shattering is preferred as large pieces of glass that may result from a breakage are more hazardous."
Nakonechny said The Brick instigated a review of the product to identify if there were concerts that it is hazardous or may be defective.
"The product in the circumstances behaved as it is designed," he said. "We also have confirmed that this a rare incident and are not aware of other similar incidents with respect to this product."
Nakonechny said The Brick has since contacted the customer and addressed her concerns.
Hniedi says though The Brick offered to replace the tabletop, she no longer wants the table.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.