Zephyrhills woman sues company over pressure cooker that blew up

By Times staff writer

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 15, 2000

DADE CITY -- A Zephyrhills woman who says she was burned when a pressure cooker exploded last year is suing the Illinois company that made the pot.

In a lawsuit filed this week in Dade City, Joanne Campe and her husband, Manuel, are demanding unspecified damages of at least $15,000 to pay for hospital care and money she lost when she was unable to work after the July 1999 incident.

According to the suit, Campe says she had cooked chicken for 10 minutes and had just set the pot down on a counter when the top blew.

The Mirro company, which made the cooker, is owned by Newell Rubbermaid Corp.

Campe said she suffered burns on her left forearm, right shoulder, upper chest and neck because a locking lever and a lift pin assembly failed.

There also were no warnings of potential dangers, according to the couple's attorney, Michael F. Hancock.

"In fact, the instructions provided with the pressure cooker specifically state that the lock lever will not release if any steam pressure remains in the cooker," the suit says.

All officials qualified to address the suit at Mirro and Newell Rubbermaid were on vacation Friday, telephone operators at the companies said.

Campe is demanding a jury trial.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.