Widow of man who died after diffuser accident: Why was there no safety briefing?

In the five months since her husband died from burns after he tried to light up an aromatherapy diffuser, the biggest question that has been plaguing Madam Nurul Asyikin Norman is:

"Why was I not given a safety briefing about the dangers of using a diffuser when I bought it?"

Mr Mohammad Rizalludin Hassan, 34, died last Oct 22 from extensive burns to more than 80 per cent of his body after a flash fire in the couple's Jurong East home.

Madam Nurul saw her husband engulfed in flames on Oct 13 after he lit the diffuser in the bathroom of their master bedroom.

At a coroner's inquiry yesterday into Mr Rizalludin's death, Madam Nurul asked a police investigating officer if safety briefings were given to customers who bought the Avita Aromatherapy Diffuser.

The officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Alex Neo, said customers are usually given a safety briefing and demonstration by employees at the company showroom in Commonwealth Drive

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ASP Neo said this was based on his interview with Mr Chok Wai Chen, operations manager of Shiang's International, which sells the diffuser.

Madam Nurul, 34, who has four children with her late husband, said in court that she "did not go through a safety briefing" and she did not get any safety demonstration when she first bought the product in 2014. The diffusers were purchased because of the haze.

"I was verbally told how to light the diffuser," said the primary school teacher.

After seeing an online promotion last year, Madam Nurul went back to the shop alone, and paid a promotional price of $692 for another diffuser and 12 litres of aromatic oils.

Mr Chok had said in his statement: "We cannot be sure if individual members perform the said steps before selling Avita Aromatherapy Diffuser range of products, even if we tell them to do so.

"The reason why we go through the necessary safety procedures before we sell is because we understand that the aromatherapy oils is (sic) flammable and thus potentially dangerous to the consumers of the said products."

ASP Neo also informed the court about a safety video on the company's website.

Madam Nurul then asked when the video was uploaded - before or after her husband's accident.

ASP Neo said Mr Chok "did not specify the timeline" when the video was uploaded.

SIMILAR

Madam Nurul asked ASP Neo if there were similar accidents in the past.

There had been none involving customers who bought the diffuser but Mr Chok told him that there had been one involving an employee on the company premises in 2014, said ASP Neo.

Mr Chok had said: "A staff (sic) sustained minor burns when he used the company's aromatherapy oil to light up an already ignited catalytic burner, as against safety procedures."

Mr Chok stated there have not been any reported incidents involving Avita Aromatherapy Diffuser products since they were released in 2007. When contacted by The New Paper yesterday, he declined to comment.

Madam Nurul told The New Paper yesterday how her family had been coping with their loss.

She said: "Emotionally, it's still quite raw, especially when my mother and I had witnessed what happened to my husband."

Her mother, Madam Juraidah Nabi, 53, who also saw Mr Rizalludin in flames during the incident, was visibly affected when she read the first few pages of the investigation report.

She started crying quietly and later placed it on the table in front of her.

Referring to the coroner's inquiry, Madam Nurul said: "The feeling is like reliving the night of the incident."

The inquiry will convene again on April 4.

Emotionally, it’s still quite raw, especially when my mother and I had witnessed what happened to my husband.

- Madam Nurul Asyikin Norman (above) on coping with her husband’s death