Jury Orders Conagra to Pay $7.1M in Exploding Cooking Spray Case

A jury has ordered Conagra Brands to pay $7.1 million to a Pennsylvania woman who suffered severe burns when a can of cooking spray exploded in her workplace kitchen.

Can Exploded “Like a Fireball”

Tammy Reese was working at a social club kitchen in 2017 when a can of Swell cooking spray burst into a fireball without warning, grievously injuring her.

She sustained deep second-degree burns on her head, face, arms and hands. Six years later, Reese still deals with scar tissue and movement problems.

Conagra Hit With $7M Verdict

On Monday, a jury in Illinois ordered Conagra to pay Reese $3.1 million in compensatory damages and $4 million in punitive damages resulting from the accident.

Conagra is the manufacturer of several leading cooking spray brands, including Pam, Swell, and others.

50+ Lawsuits Over Exploding Cans

Reese’s case is the first of over 50 lawsuits nationwide citing similar explosions with Conagra cooking sprays. Despite this, the company has not issued a recall.

The defective cans use a venting system prone to bursting when overheated, lawyers say. Conagra claims the cans are safe when instructions are followed.

Warning Labels on Cans

Conagra says its cooking sprays have warning labels saying the product is flammable and shouldn’t be left near a heat source.

But lawyers note the explosions have occurred even when cans were not directly on the stove. Conagra tweaked its venting design in 2019 but said it was unrelated to lawsuits.

Company Disputes Verdict

While the jury clearly found Conagra negligent, the company stated it disagrees with the verdict and verdict and is evaluating its legal options, including appeal.

With dozens more cases pending, though, the litigation fight over exploding cooking spray cans appears far from over.