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A man was blown away when his toilet exploded leaving him needing 30 stitches to his face, arms and legs.

Michel Pierre, 58, was struck with hundreds of shards of porcelain when he was checking the water pressure in his New York apartment.

The shock of the blast knocked him unconscious.

And it was not just him that got an unwanted shower that day.

Another three toilets exploded after the water in the building was turned off.

It is thought a build-up of air pressure was pushed through the pipes when the supply was switched back on, leading to the explosion.

"Obviously there is a serious problem in the building," his lawyer Sanford Rubenstein said.

"Clearly toilets are supposed to flush, not explode."

Mr Pierre is now so scared it will happen again, he hides behind his door and uses a rope to flush.

The management company of the 16-storey block of flats has apologised, but the terrified resident is seeking compensation.

Theresa Racht, a lawyer representing the building's board, said: "This is a horrific incident.

"Everybody feels terrible that such a thing could have happened.

"It certainly makes me think twice about flushing the toilet when the water's been turned off."