Scorching summer heat wave causes terrifying explosions on Southwest planes

Record-breaking heat waves across the United States have caused soda cans to explode after being loaded onto Southwest Airlines flights across the country.

The airline reported an explosion of full-blown heat stress cases on flights out of airports in Phoenix and Las Vegas as temperatures continued to reach triple digits.

Southwest Airlines officials claim that the explosion usually occurs immediately after the can is opened.

While none of the passengers were injured, about 20 flight attendants were injured, including one who needed stitches.

Officials believe the incidents may be caused by the way Southwest stores its soft drinks on flights.

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Southwest does not store perishable items on board and tends not to use air-conditioned catering trucks to deliver meals and drinks to the plane — thus exposing pressurized items to outside heat.

according to cbs news“None of us are satisfied that we are still seeing reported events,” Rachel Loudermilk, Southwest’s managing director of core operations, and Matt Sampson, director of supply, sent a company-wide email.

The company also said it has begun taking measures to reduce such incidents, including storing fewer cans on supply trucks, placing soft drinks in coolers on trucks in hot weather locations, and monitoring the truck and measuring temperatures with thermometers during shifts.

Attendees were also asked to stop storing cans that were above 98 degrees and return them to the warehouse to cool.

The email also indicates that officials have begun testing air-conditioned supply trucks and are in talks with Coca-Cola to analyze the viability of the current cans as well as find alternatives.

Southwest Airlines spokesman Chris Perry also issued a statement saying, “We are aware of the issue and are taking steps to keep drinks cold on board, especially at our airports where temperatures are extreme.”

“It’s a cross-functional effort between our airport teams and those in the air.”

Aside from Phoenix and Las Vegas, the new measures also apply to flights flying from Austin, Houston, Dallas and Sacramento.