Exploding Glass Severely Hurts Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast Guest

For Katherine Ellis, a visit to the Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, turned into a real horror film as a shower door exploded, peppering her with shards of glass, causing severe injuries and leading to a lawsuit.

Bizarre Incident at Casino Leaves Guest with Multiple Lacerations

Last week, Ellis filed a lawsuit in Hancock County, following an incident that occurred on the night of February 28, when she was stepping out of the shower in her room at the casino. At that moment, the glass panel allegedly “exploded, or otherwise failed catastrophically,” throwing pieces of glass across Ellis’s body. Ellis sustained multiple injuries, including lacerations to her head, face, upper body, thighs, and legs. The bleeding was so severe that a companion tried to stop it using towels before casino staff arrived. According to the lawsuit, two employees later bandaged her legs with gauze.

However, this was not enough, it seems, as Ellis had to be transported to the Ochsner Medical Center in Bay St. Louis for further treatment. She says that while showering again at the hospital, she found and removed more pieces of glass from her hair and from open wounds. Her lawsuit also claims she continues to experience medical issues, including ongoing pain and eye irritation that has required evaluation by an eye specialist.

Edward Blackmon Jr. of Canton, Ellis’s lawyer, filed the suit, alleging the casino failed to inspect or maintain the shower door properly. The complaint contends that the condition of the glass posed a dangerous risk to guests. The lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages, including compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and lost income, as well as claims of permanent scarring and disfigurement. It also requests punitive damages if deemed appropriate, along with coverage of legal costs.

Does Glass Explode Often?

Spontaneous glass breakage is very uncommon, but it can happen. According to consumer safety reports, roughly 500 people each year receive emergency room treatment for injuries resulting from shattered shower doors. When glass shatters without any impact, the two primary causes are typically nickel sulphide inclusions or thermal shock.

During the glass manufacturing process, tiny nickel sulphide particles can sometimes form within the material. This happens randomly and is quite rare. Known as nickel sulphide inclusions, these impurities may remain inactive for weeks or even years after the glass has been produced and installed.

As the glass cools, the inclusions contract and become trapped inside it, staying in that compressed state. Over time, they may attempt to expand back to their original form, and in some cases, this expansion can cause the glass to shatter seemingly without warning.

Some time ago, we ranked the Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast as one of the best places to survive the zombie apocalypse. However, while the thick high walls of the building might protect you from the hordes outside, it seems that you would still have to be careful about dangers from the inside, such as exploding glass.