£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.

@KilkennyCats Yes, glass has been know to spontaneously explode...

From Google.

Glass, especially tempered (safety) glass, can shatter on its own in a phenomenon called spontaneous breakage, often due to internal stresses from manufacturing flaws (like nickel sulfide inclusions), temperature changes (thermal shock), or minor edge damage from installation or transport, leading to a seemingly unprovoked shattering event.

It has happened to me, and a few people I know... Very alarming it is too.

@Showerexplosion I am glad your DC and mum are OK. Nice of the people billing you to ask after their welfare. 🙄 #sarcasm

It happened to one our glass doors at work, just shattered for no reason, glass everywhere, was terrifying, luckily no one was injured, was incredible really. We were picking glass out of things for months. I was also once holding an empty pryex jug and it exploded, I was left holding the handle, very strange!

Actually it can and isn't even that rare.

If they had been near enough to cause the damage, they wouldn’t have escaped without a scratch.

I had a coffee mug explode as I was holding it. It was absolutely 100% not being used inappropriately in any way shape or form. It was not visibly damaged, It was not dropped or struck, it did not have a thermal shock from hot to cold suddenly, it had a Hot drink poured into it, I picked it up about 30 seconds later and was walking with it then all of a sudden it just exploded!

I've had a shower screen spontaneously explode in a hotel. I had to have an ambulance called. I tried to sue them but it all got too complicated and expensive.

Your children could have been seriously injured, I'd let them know that I'd be reporting my safety concerns to the HSE. That should send them running...

Yes, it can do.

Do a search for Rip off Britain on the BBC and there have been lots of cases of glass. Just exploding

There won’t be cctv in a shower area for those asking if they have cctv of the incident.

i agree shower doors can absolutely shatter spontaneously. I’d be writing back and presenting them with a bill for the same amount for PTSD from the exploding door.

OP honestly I would speak to a lawyer, many will do a free initial appointment just to get advice.

Do not pay it but they are crossing a line and if they attempt to take it further you should have all the info you need to fight it. Plus you should email about the cancelled membership demanding a refund, they cannot keep your money for services not rendered.

Strange they can somehow tell it was two small children and not you DM. I wonder what the evidence it is they have.

Absolutely does. The glass on my shower screen spontaneously exploded with no one in the bathroom.

I would have thought it's their insurance that should be paying. What do they mean by "we request that you notify your insurers of this" people don't have insurance cover for random events when they are out and about.

This has happened to me before! I absolutely shat myself. I thought the sky had fallen in!! It happens with age, angle, heat etc. lots of reasons!

Tell them to fuck right off. Imagine if your kids had been near it at the time?! If they haven’t got the insurance to cover it, they shouldn’t be open to the public!

I agree, this sounds mad, they without a doubt have insurance even if this was ‘deliberate’. Ignore them or just write a strongly worded letter back to say under no circumstance will you be paying for this as there is no proof of anything. Unless they want to take you to court (which they won’t) the likelihood is all they have are threats.

Two glass walls in two separate offices have exploded at my workplace in the past 12 months. It absolutely happens.

it happens quite often, tell them to claim on their insurance that you swear on your dogs life you were no where near it

I had a shower door shatter when nobody was in the room. I find it interesting that your pictures appear to show it exploded in both directions. The glass is scattered widely both sides. I can't see a 'shadow' where a person next to the door blocked the flying glass (doesn't bear thinking about either). The pattern and distance suggests an explosion to me. I am not an expert

Yes, if the frame is slightly twisted so it is stressed. A friend's brand new very expensive bifold doors did exactly that a week after fitting.

Do a search for glass shattering on Rip off Britain on the BBC iPlay.

I can't believe the way the gym are behaving.

I would put it into chat gbt and ask it to write you a response saying no and to desist. Ask it to add any legal arguments and to ask for a refund of your membership.

They are trying it on so push back!

I would challenge them

I worked in an office with glass doors, quite a few of these spontaneously exploded

6 year old twins? I thought you might say teenagers and they were trying to claim that someone had bashed the door in anger.

I’d respond to them that no one touched the door, it shattered spontaneously, that they are lucky no one was hurt and they should be claiming on their insurance. If you respond with strength my guess is you won’t hear from them again, they’re just gambling on you being scared enough by their bully boy tactics to pay up.

Tell them to naff off and claim on their insurance