A popular social media fitness personality died after what can only be described as a freak accident involving a whipped cream canister.
Rebecca Burger was a French fitness blogger and competitor with more than 150,000 Instagram followers. According to a cautionary Instagram post written by her family, a pressurized whipped cream dispenser exploded, hitting the 33-year-old in the thorax and sending her into cardiac arrest Sunday.
“This is an example of the whipped cream siphon that exploded and hit Rebecca’s thorax, leading to her death,” her family wrote under a photo of a metal device. “To be clear: The dispenser that led to her death was sealed. Do not use this type of utensil! Tens of thousands of defective devices are still out there.”
French police confirmed the death to CNN and said an investigation has been launched by the prosecutor’s office in the French town of Mulhouse. Authorities also said the cause of death is not yet confirmed.
Regional newspaper L’Alsace reported Burger’s heart stopped during the accident and she was temporarily revived by paramedics, but later died at a hospital.
Though it sounds incomprehensible, and the specific cause of Burger’s death hasn’t been confirmed, serious injury due to whipped cream dispensers is not unheard of in France. 60 Million Consumers, a French consumer group, says such pressurized devices have led to serious injuries, including the loss of an eye in one case and chest fractures in another.
Burger’s fans and followers flooded her social media accounts with messages of disbelief and mourning. Burger often shared photos of her travels, fashion and food. Women’s Best, a fitness company that often partnered with the model, posted a tribute to Burger, calling her a “beautiful soul.”
In one of her last posts, Burger posed, smiling, and reflected on all she had accomplished.
“A beautiful day has come to an end,” she wrote. “A lot of trips coming, and new projects. I realized I should sit still right now and reflect on everything I’ve already accomplished and what I’m about to experience. I tell myself, life is good.
“We don’t have any control over time so make the absolute most of it.”
