The old man became a victim of a sink opener: 40% of his body got burned.

The wife of 78-year-old Mehmet Fatih Büyüktosun, who lives in Bahçelievler, said last month that the kitchen sink was clogged in the evening. Büyüktosun tried to unclog the sink with drain cleaners but was unsuccessful. Upon this, the elderly man contacted a plumber and agreed for him to come in the morning. Allegedly, when the plumber did not come in the morning, the elderly man went out to find another plumber. During this time, he bought a drain cleaner from a hardware store and tried it at home, resulting in an explosion. The elderly man, who said that his daughter-in-law was also at home at that moment, was splashed with pain due to the explosion. He had burns on his chest, legs, stomach, and many other parts of his body. Büyüktosun immediately ran to the bathroom. After waiting under the tap water for a while, he went to a hospital in the district. After the initial treatment, he was referred to Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital Burn Treatment Center. It was learned that approximately 40% of his body was burned and he underwent various procedures. After completing a treatment process of about 1 month, the elderly man was discharged to continue his follow-up appointments. Büyüktosun described the fearful moments he experienced before being discharged, while the Responsible of the Burn Treatment Center, General Surgeon Prof. Dr. Mustafa Turan, explained the treatment process.

"I WAS HAPPY THAT IT WAS WORKING, THEN I SUDDENLY FELT A SEVERE BURNING SENSATION"

78-year-old Mehmet Fatih Büyüktosun, who shared his experience and advised individuals not to perform such procedures on their own, said, "The kitchen sink was clogged in the evening for no reason, so I immediately called the plumber and asked if he could come tomorrow, he said 'Yes'. It was 09.00, he didn't come, and since I am involved in trade, I had to go to the shop. I went to another plumber, but it was closed, so I took his number. On my way back, I came across a hardware store and told them about the situation and asked how they could help me. I asked if they had a hose, saying that the kitchen sink was clogged and I was going to try to unclog it. He said, 'Brother, what are you going to do?'. I said, 'The kitchen sink is clogged, and I'm going to try to unclog it'. He said, 'Brother, there's no need for that, let me give you a drain cleaner'. We used 6 packs of drain cleaners sold in supermarkets, but we didn't see any results. He said, 'This one is very effective, it will unclog it immediately', so I bought it. I asked him if it had any dangers, if it could cause an explosion or cracking, he said, 'No, but when using it, you should not touch it with your hands, eyes, or skin'. I asked how to use it, he said, 'You pour it, wait for 5 minutes, then turn on the water'. I thought it was simple, so I started applying it exactly as he said. Since it is a fast-acting substance, it melts the thin hose under the sink. I said, 'Let me pour it directly into the drain', so I leaned under the counter and started pouring it slowly into the drain. I poured 1, 2, 3, and then I heard a sound, I was happy, I said, 'It's unclogging'. My daughter-in-law was with me and she said, 'Dad, run!'. Then, I felt a severe burning sensation on my body, my feet, chest, forehead, arms. I immediately ran to the bathroom and took off my clothes. My wife is old and diabetic, so I didn't want to leave the kitchen in that condition, it bothered me. I said, 'Let me try something', but I don't recommend it to anyone."

"THEY BUY CHEMICALS FROM HARDWARE STORES TO UNCLOG THE SINK, BUT IT RESULTS IN A DISASTER"

The Responsible of the Burn Treatment Center, General Surgeon Prof. Dr. Mustafa Turan, emphasized that they frequently encounter home accidents and that people should be very careful. Prof. Dr. Turan also provided information about the condition of his patient. He said, "They buy chemicals from hardware stores to unclog the sink, but it results in a disaster. Unfortunately, this has increased significantly in recent years. In the past, there were drain cleaners that did not cause such serious explosions. Our citizens did not come with such severe damage, it remained at the outpatient clinic level. These incidents can cause serious explosions, severe damage, and loss of eyes and limbs. He had burns of about 40% of his body, so we started a rapid treatment. We repaired most of the areas, except for some areas on his feet. Pay attention to the well-known brands used as drain cleaners, especially if they are granular. Sometimes companies write 'For professional use only' or 'Concrete opener'. People who do not know should not use them, and we advise individuals not to use them if they do not have the necessary equipment and supplies. We recommend that the public be very careful when using such products. We sometimes encounter people who have poor joint movements and face fatal accidents. At least 5-6 similar patients have come in the last 3-4 days, and only 3 similar patients are currently hospitalized in our clinic. Recently, a professional used it and melted the plastic of the product. In such cases, the chemical should be removed quickly, diluted for at least 10-15 minutes, and the chemical material should be removed from the environment. We recommend that they seek medical attention before the reaction progresses and the tissues become infected. Home accidents may seem innocent, but we have to be very careful about electricity, chemicals, and leaving hot water unattended. Children are curious and can come with severe burns. We need to be very careful with tea kettles and stoves. We need to be cautious both at home and in work environments because we can suddenly encounter very bad scenarios."