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France investigates squishy toy explosion that burned child
An investigation has been opened in Saint-Omer, France, following an incident where an 8-year-old boy suffered second-degree burns to his face and chest after a ‘squishy’ stress ball exploded while he was playing.
The child was treated at a burn center in Lille. The parquet of Saint-Omer is investigating the incident for ‘involuntary injuries’ to determine if the explosion was an accident or caused by a product defect. The toy, a Cool Mix Supergel model purchased from Smyths Toys, contained a malleable substance that reportedly caused skin damage upon contact.
The French Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) is conducting analyses on various brands and models of these toys. Authorities have advised parents to exercise caution, specifically warning against heating the toys or exposing them to heat sources like microwaves, and to avoid replicating social media trends involving dangerous experiments with these products.
Entities
DGCCRF · Lille · Pas-de-Calais · Saint-Omer · Saint-Omer Prosecutor's Office · Smyths Toys
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] An 8-year-old boy suffered second-degree burns to his face and chest due to a 'Squishy' style stress ball. www.lalsace.fr · www.estrepublicain.fr
- [● 3 SOURCES] The toy involved was identified as a 'Cool mix supergel' purchased from Smyths Toys in Arques. www.lalsace.fr · www.estrepublicain.fr
- [● 3 SOURCES] An investigation for involuntary injuries has been opened following an incident involving an 8-year-old boy. www.lalsace.fr · www.estrepublicain.fr
- [● 3 SOURCES] The DGCCRF is conducting analyses to determine if the injury was caused by a product defect. www.lalsace.fr · www.estrepublicain.fr