A tragic accident in Shanghai left a 5-year-old boy with 38 stitches after a soft drink can exploded in his hands. The boy had placed the can in the freezer to cool it quickly. When he opened it, “a loud bang was heard,” and the can burst, causing severe facial injuries. Doctors report an increase in similar cases due to improper storage of soft drinks.

Many people have a habit of putting all food and drinks in the freezer, but some items can be extremely dangerous. Carbonated drinks should never be stored in the freezer. “When the mass of water increases beyond the capacity of the can,” pressure builds up, leading to an explosion. If you need a cold drink, chill it in the fridge or marinate it in ice for a few minutes.

Alcoholic beverages can also explode in the freezer due to pressure buildup. Worse, if flammable substances inside ignite, they can cause a massive explosion.

Dry ice is another dangerous item. Since it’s solid CO2, it expands significantly when frozen, potentially causing the refrigerator to explode. “Dry ice can expand an estimated 600 to 800 times compared to its solid form.”

To stay safe, avoid storing these items in the freezer and handle dry ice carefully with gloves or tongs.