ABC presenter's horrific bathroom incident prompts warning to travellers

Charles Brice suffered severe burns after leaning on a hot bar in the shower with a warning now issued to travellers of the risks.

Sophie Coghill
·News Reporter
Updated ·2-min read
Left: Disability advocate advocate Shaun Hryhorec in shower. Right: ABC presenter Charles Brice.
ABC presenter Charles Brice (right) was in Europe when he scalded himself in the shower, with friend and advocate Shaun Hryhorec (left) now warning other travellers. Source: Wheel around the World/charlesbrice

WARNING — GRAPHIC IMAGE: ABC presenter Charles Brice has learned the hard way about a key difference between Aussie and European bathrooms after severely scalding his arm, causing his skin to "melt off".

Brice had flown to Europe last week to ready himself to report on the Paris Paralympic Games and snuck to Berlin to enjoy a holiday before coverage began. However, while taking a shower he leaned on a seemingly harmless bar in an accessible shower, only noticing the severe damage it caused after he was out of the shower and looked down.

Now he and his friend Shane Hryhorec, a disability advocate known online as Wheel around the World, are warning Aussies to be mindful of the risks associated with using European bathrooms.

"Charles sent me a message and I nearly vomited," Hryhorec told Yahoo News. "I was having my breakfast and the picture of his arm covered in blisters popped up and the skin melted off. He said, 'Whatever you do, don't ever lean on the mixer'."

Brices' arm burnt and blistered (left) and a picture of Shane Hryhorec smiling while making the peace sign with his hand (right).
Brice sent his mate Shane Hryhorec (right) a picture of his arm after he scalded it in a shower in Berlin. Source: Supplied

Mixers are a part of the shower system that "mix the hot and cold water together" and unlike in Australia, these are externally attached to the wall in places like Europe and the UK. As hot water is run through the shower system, the mixer becomes hot and can scald bare skin. As a quadriplegic, Brice had no idea he was being scalded until he caught sight of the damage.

Brice visited several pharmacies in Berlin in search of treatment and was told he would likely need to cough up "several thousand euros" to get a burn-specific dressing.

"One pharmacy said it would cost him $3,000 for the material, another pharmacy said it would cost $500 for the material. So, you know, purchasing some medical things in Europe like burn sheeting can be very difficult," he said.

The pair are now warning people online to be mindful of the risks that mixers pose to anyone who don't know how hot to the touch they can get.

"Any person with a disability or children, or whoever needs to be careful — the lesson of it is pretty much don't lean on the mixer," Shane warned.

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