STERLING HEIGHTS (WWJ) - The owner of a Metro Detroit bakery is warning people of the dangers of air fryers after he said the appliance erupted at his home and landed him in the hospital for almost a week.
Louia Essak, who owns Sweet and Sweeter in Sterling Heights, took to TikTok to share his story, claiming he almost lost his life after his air fryer exploded the weekend before Thanksgiving.
"This is the air fryer," he said in his video, showing the charred and melted plastic shell of the appliance. "Do not trust it."
Essak said his wife was cooking chicken wings in the air fryer on Sunday, November 19, when it suddenly blew up.
"There was only smoke. I cannot see even a foot," Essak told FOX 2. "It's all dark smoke, grey."
Essak managed to find a fire extinguisher and was able to keep the fire from spreading in the garage.
Firefighters arrived at the scene and put out the blaze. but Essak said the smoke and chemicals from the explosion already got into his lungs, causing extensive damage.
He said the incident landed him at the Detroit Medical Center's burn center in intensive care for five days. He was discharged and returned to work at his bakery, but he has continued to have breathing issues.
He told FOX 2: "It's not like before. Like 60%, I can breathe ok, (but) if I walk I get tired. … I cannot talk. I'm just coughing."
Essak, who is known as a prankster to his 88,000 followers on TikTok, deviated from his usual humor and issued a stern warning about air fryers.
"Do not trust [it]. Don't leave it in your house. Don't use it," he warned. "If you want to use it, stay by it -- don't leave it."
He said it doesn't matter if you have a cheaper air fryer or a more expensive one, it could happen to any air fryer.
"I'm sharing this for you and your family's safety," Essak added.
According to U.S. Consumer Alerts, air fryers are an easy, healthy alternative to cook meals with little to no oil, but they can get extremely hot or end up producing smoke.
While it is rare for an air fryer to explode, the possibility isn't zero. The following tips should be followed to ensure safe operation of your device:
• Read and understand the manufacture's label
• Properly clean the appliance after every use
• Avoid cleaning the electrical components of the air fryer
• Unplug the air fryer when not in use
• Use the appliance in a well-ventilated area
• No not leave the air fryer unattended while in use