An elderly woman who had been given a microwaveable heat pack as a safer alternative to a hot water bottle, died after it caught fire in her bed

Relatives of the 82 year old thought that the £14.95 “Hottie” would spare her the danger of scalding while filling a traditional hot water bottle. She is understood to have been overcome by fumes from the smoldering wheat-filled pack,and died the next day. Fire investigators in West Yorkshire say that they have dealt with another six similar incidents involving heat packs in the past year.

The instructions on the packaging are to place a cup of water with the pack in the microwave.  The water prevents the pack from drying out and smoldering.

Wheat bags have been used for many years as a supplemental therapy, in particular by older people with arthritis. The structure of the grain allows it to warm up quickly, and then slowly release its heat. But as the bag ages the chemicals in the wheat break down, making it prone to overheating.