£1670 for exploding shower door at pool- please help

[Showerexplosion]

My children attended a hotel swimming pool with my mum where they all have membership. A few weeks ago a shower door exploded while they were in the changing rooms. My mother maintains that my children did not touch the door and that it simply exploded.

Neither of my children were hit by the broken glass despite both being in only swimming costumes.

Today she received an email stating:

At approximately 16:10, the glass shower door in the ladies’ changing room was found shattered. Photographic evidence is attached. You reported the damage to Reception at that time, but no explanation was provided. Given the seriousness of the situation and the safety risks posed to other guests, we immediately initiated a full and detailed investigation.

As part of this investigation, we commissioned an independent professional specialising in glass safety and installation to assess the damaged door. Their expert conclusion was clear: the door did not fail due to a defect or spontaneous breakage. The shattering was consistent with improper handling or misuse, and not with normal or appropriate use of the facility.

We also reviewed our CCTV footage covering the Spa and Wellness area. The footage confirms that only yourself, xxxxxx and xxxxxx were present in the changing facilities during the time the damage occurred. No other individuals entered the area before or during the incident. This evidence, combined with the professional assessment, leaves no doubt that the door was broken due to inappropriate use while your grandsons were in the changing room.

The cost of replacing the door is £1,674.00. A detailed breakdown of the replacement cost is attached for your review and we request that you notify your insurers of this cost as we are seeking reimbursement of the replacement of this shower door caused by your actions.

In addition, due to the seriousness of the incident, the safety implications, and the behaviour that led to the damage, we have taken the decision to cancel both xxxxx and xxxxx memberships with immediate effect.

Are we liable for this cost? Are we entitled to a refund for the cancelled memberships - we have only used one month of a 3 month membership for both of them.

I include the pictures they sent me. Any help with how to respond greatly appreciated.

Does glass really spontaneously explode? 🤔

Wouldn't the hotel use their insurance? Surely without witnesses it's he says, she says? I reckon they are trying it!

I've had a glass place mat explode, it wasn't being used at the time, noone was even in the room, but I heard it from next door, so its possible.

Yes, it does! Shower doors are slightly notorious for this happening - it is certainly not unknown

Just semd a laughing emoji back.
If course you don't have to pay.. That's what their insurance is for.

Safety glass can.

A friend of mines patio door just shattered spontaneously once. Something to do with age and poor installation

Yes a glass partition in a office i was in exploded,nobody was near it. It was terrifying we thought a bomb had gone off

I’ve had several windows spontaneously explode, the professional conclusion was manufacturing defects that would be impossible to see and an inevitable thing. Micro cracks where moisture can get it and heat and cool and eventual cause a catatonic failure. Usually the cracks are along the edges and so are totally invisible.

An expert cannot say 100% what caused it and they can see you in court.

That second photo looks like it’s been ripped from the wall? Like the hinges have been pulled out?

Did your mum give a full explanation to you? Tbh she definitely should have at reception too if she didn’t.

YES! Our glass shower screen exploded with no one even in the bathroom at the time or recently. It can happen.

My parents' shower glass spontaneously exploded last year, so I think I'd contest it.

My oven door did - 1 week before Christmas which was handy 🙄

our glass oven door spontaneously exploded- very frightening experience.

Yes! Shower doors absolutely do explode, mine did.

My patio door spontaneously exploded a few years ago. Apparently due to the heating up and cooling down it was exposed to. There was no fault in the glass, this is just the nature of glass. Ask to see the expert report stating this was definitely caused by misuse. I find it hard to believe they would definitively say that and not simply say there was no glass fault. Which there doesn’t need to be for it to break.

Years ago in my office a door shattered just like that when my colleague tagged the electronic lock pad thing to let him in.

Glass cooker door shattered spontaneously...no-one in kitchen & only 1 week old. We're told it happens if not levelled properly, even a slight misalign, it was replaced.

Goodness they are really trying it on. I'm pretty sure they won't be able to make that stick I have heard a few times of glass exploding without explanation. I would however recommend you seek legal advice.

This happened to me in Reiss at Bluewater years ago! The whole glass middle structure exploded

Another one here who has seen a glass office door explode, completely untouched.

No chance I'd be paying for this. How can an expert say with certainty that a shattered door had no defect? The defect could be amongst the smithereens

Absolutely it can. Happened on a project I was involved in. Newly fitted shower doors in a small boutique hotel, where one literally exploded.

Insurance wouldn't cover this

I agree this happened to our glass shower door and it was very lucky no one was hurt. IANAL but I strongly suggest speaking to one and they are likely to assure you your mum is not liable and the hotel should claim on their insurance.

I’d also love to know what they think the two small children did for that to happen, surely they should be absolutely shatter proof and made of safety glass due to the high traffic nature of the space? They should be very robust as people won’t be treating them with kid gloves.