A coffee machine explodes in Sainsbury injuring 15 people.

The coffee machine explodes like a bomb yesterday in Sainsbury’s, in Farnborough, Hampshire, blasting a hole in a wall. Six people were taken to hospital with back and neck injuries. The photo below shows a mangled wreck of metal on the floor of a supermarket cafe that was once an industrial-sized coffee machine that sat behind the counter.

An ambulance spokesman said a 23 year old woman received the most serious injuries and suffered wounds to her head, arm, eye, back and neck. Emergency services were called to the Sainsbury’s cafe, in the Kingsmead Centre, Farnborough, Hants, following reports of an explosion at about 12.20pm yesterday.

Fifteen firefighters were sent to the store and treated the wounded before they were taken by ambulance to Frimley Park Hospital, in Surrey. The store was evacuated and reopened in the afternoon, however the cafe remained closed.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman Craig Mowat said:

‘We were sent out to deal with the explosion but as there was no fire we administered first aid.

‘The machine had been completely detroyed after a cylinder behind the machine blew up

‘It blew a hole in the wall and the coffee machine had exploded from where it was behind the counter.

‘People had minor injuries to their necks and backs althought it is unclear whether that was from scalding or the explosion itself.’

Couple Georgina Sharp and Aaron Brannan were at home next to the store when they were rocked by the explosion at lunchtime. Miss Sharp, 18, a customer service assistant, said:

‘We heard a bang, it sounded like something had hit the side of the house – it was like an Army shell going off in the distance.

‘We also felt a vibration. Minutes later we heard sirens and when we went outside there were people everywhere.

‘There were three ambulances, fire engines, and police cars. There was so many police we thought there had been a bomb.’

An 18-year-old delivery driver said:

‘All the Sainsbury’s staff and customers were being evacuated and they looked very shell shocked.

‘I noticed one customer was crying. One middle aged woman came out on a stretcher being carried by two paramedics.

‘Another person was being tended to by paramedics just outside the cafe.

‘It was a massive shock to hear it was a coffee machine – it must have been some coffee machine to have caused something like that.’

A spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance Service said:

‘Between 10 and 15 people were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

‘Six of those people were taken to hospital to be checked out.’

Sainsbury’s spokesperson Hannah Chance said:

‘Seven people sustained minor injuries when a pipe in a coffee machine at our Farnborough store ruptured this afternoon.

‘The emergency services were immediately called and those injured were taken to Frimley Park Hospital.

‘Colleague and customer safety is Sainsbury’s main priority and the store was evacuated and closed while the council’s environmental health officers undertook an inspection.

‘The store has now re-opened.

‘The cafe will remain closed until a full investigation into the cause of this incident is complete.’

Rushmoor Borough Council environmental health is investigating.