Pressure cookers should have safety devices to prevent them from exploding. Although we do not have a pressure cooker at home, I remember that my mother's pressure cooker had a rubber stopper that would dislodge should the pressure rise too much.
On reading the account, it occurred to me that the pressure cooker used in the explosion could have been bought in country that did not demand safety valves on their devices. (I assume that in the US it would be illegal to sell pressure cookers without safety valves). From: owner-u...@colostate.edu [mailto:owner-u...@colostate.edu] On Behalf Of Nat Hager III Sent: 17 April 2013 12:08 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:52678] Bombs Used in Boston Marathon Are Common in South Asia - NYTimes.com Oh wow. About to get some unwelcome publicity. Nat http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/17/what-are-pressure-cooker-bombs-and -why-do-terrorists-use-them/ >Forensic experts described the pressure cookers used in the Boston marathon blasts as generic, but noted the marking "6L," indicating six liters. Pressure cookers in the United States are <http://www.walmart.com/ip/Presto-6-Quart-Stainless-Pressure-Cooker/5913466> most often measured in quarts, not liters.