IKEA apologises as yet another glass cabinet abruptly shatters

SINGAPORE: IKEA apologised after yet another customer reported that a DETOLF glass display cabinet made by the Swedish furniture giant shattered abruptly.

The cabinet reportedly shattered without contact with any other object after only one year of use.

The customer, Adam Tan, wrote on the COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook group that the explosion sent glass fragments flying across the room in his home. He also uploaded a photo of his injured finger, which was believed to have been cut by the glass.

The cabinet was installed by IKEA personnel, according to Mr Tan. Although IKEA reportedly sent him gift certificates as compensation, he still advised the public not to buy the glass cabinets.

One day after Mr Tan shared his account, another netizen told the SGFOLLOWSALL Instagram page that his DETOLF cabinet also suddenly shattered while his family assembled it.

He said: “It just exploded. Each glass fragment was about 0.5cm to 1cm long, some of it turning into a sharp and highly dangerous powder. We’re lucky we weren’t hurt, but as a safety precaution, we recommend being extremely careful or not buying this shelf at all.”

An IKEA spokesperson said the company is aware of the situation and is in contact with Mr Tan to assist. The company said he declined medical assistance as the wound he sustained was minor.

The spokesperson added that IKEA products use tempered glass, which shatters into small cubes rather than long, sharp pieces. They said “tension” is sometimes left on the glass through impacts, knocks, or scratches; even a small impact can cause the glass to shatter within a few hours or after a longer time.

While this is a well-known problem in the industry, the company has reported the matter to product developers to ensure they develop and create more impact-resistant glass with comprehensive quality and safety checks so customers can confidently use their products.

Tempered glass is created by heating ordinary glass close to its softening point and then rapidly cooling it. However, a substance called nickel sulfide or nickel sulphide present in the tempered glass formation process could cause the glass to shatter spontaneously.

Singapore Safety Glass, a local glass maker, said that if such an impurity was present, it would be trapped as the glass cooled rapidly. Over time, nickel sulfide expands and forms micro-cracks, which can cause tempered glass to shatter without warning.

Several netizens have said they experienced similar incidents of IKEA glass furniture shattering suddenly without contact.

One customer who purchased the same glass cabinet said his piece suddenly broke into tiny pieces last August. He speculated that the heat from direct exposure to sunlight might have caused the glass case to burst as it was placed near his windows.

Another IKEA cabinet shatters to pieces without contact