ALERT: Warning to motorists as can of Pepsi explodes in heat in Offaly driver's car

placeholder image — Warning to motorists as can of Pepsi explodes in heat in Offaly driver's car

The can was in the car that was parked in the sunshine in Offaly and appears to have exploded in the heat

An Offaly motorist got a nasty surprise in the current hot spell when they returned to their car to find a can of Pepsi had apparently exploded in the heat leaving a right mess in the car.

The car was parked in the sunshine during the day and it appears as if the heat in the car was enough for the can to explode.

The car owner told Offaly Live that when they returned to the car, they found the burst can, which had been in the drinks holder, in the driver's footwell with the contents sprayed all over the inside of the car including on the roof and on the windscreen, the driver's side window and the passenger's side window.

They explained, "the full can was in the drink's holder when I parked the car but when I got back it was empty on the floor. I then noticed all the streaks on the windscreen and all over the front of the car. It was parked in the sun for the day and the heat was intense when I opened the door but I never thought this could happen. From the state of the can, it looks as it burst at the top. I'm probably lucky it didn't hit the windscreen but the inside of the car was a mess."

According to experts, once temperatures in a car reach 55 degrees in direct sunlight, there is a risk that a can could explode as the carbon dioxide in the sealed can expands. It is similar for any aerosol containers that may be in direct sunlight. it is possible for the temperature inside a car to reach 55 degrees if it is parked in direct sunlight for an hour and the temperature can continue to increase from there.