I’ve always been extra cautious about hot water. Ever since I took a child safety course when my kids were little, I made a mental note to double check the bath temperature and lower the setting on our water heater at home. I’ve come across dangerously hot water in hotels and even at friends’ houses, but never anything that made me think it could be fatal.
That’s why a recent story from KTLA stopped me cold. The station reported that a 72-year-old California grandfather, Terril Johnson, died after stepping into a hotel shower that was allegedly as hot as 136 degrees Fahrenheit.
According to a lawsuit filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court, Johnson and his family had driven from Los Angeles to San Jose to celebrate his granddaughter’s graduation from San Jose State University. After checking into the Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites San Jose Airport, Johnson decided to take a shower — and, according to court documents cited by KTLA and the Los Angeles Times, the water “effectively boiled him alive.”
The family claims that when Johnson’s grandson went to check on him, he found his grandfather unresponsive in the tub, submerged in scalding water so hot they couldn’t immediately pull him out. The Santa Clara County medical examiner ruled that Johnson had suffered burns over more than a third of his body, leading to his death.
California’s plumbing code limits shower temperatures to 120 degrees, but the family’s legal team says the hotel water was between 134 and 136 degrees. “This was not a freak accident,” the lawsuit states. “It was the direct result of Defendant’s gross negligence and failure to meet even basic safety obligations.”
Johnson was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, a retired Los Angeles Metro Transit Authority technician, and a husband, father and grandfather who had built a life full of service and family milestones.
For travelers, it’s a heartbreaking reminder that hotel safety isn’t something to take for granted. Whether you’re checking into a small roadside inn or a major chain, it’s worth running the tap for a few seconds and checking the temperature before stepping into the shower. This is especially true if you’re running a bath for a child.
A simple check can make the difference between comfort and catastrophe.
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