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AQA AS ISA explosions

Don't worry, I won't provide any cheaty information.

Doing one of the AQA AS ISAs (should be obvious which), there were a couple of violent explosions, which shouldn't have happened obviously. It happened at the start. You're directed to put solution x into another solution. Then you have to "heat it gently" with a bunsen burner "until it boils".

First, there was a loud kinda pop in one corner of the room. The guy was about to explain what happened when his solution sprayed up, but seemed to miss him. This was directly over the bunsen burner, but only after a few seconds. As we were reacting to that shock, someone else's exploded with a force that knocked its beaker sideways.

She hadn't even begun heating it yet.

The tutor (who we'll say is eccentric, as some drs are), didn't react (at least not as much as this solution). He just said they lost the mark and can't get a replacement, and that it shouldn't have exploded.

This is why I let other people go first. I attempted heating mine for a second, but I just couldn't do it. My health isn't worth any mark. However, I was confident I could get away with it anyway because, while it didn't boil, it did get very hot when I poured the solution X in. I won't say whether I was right or not in case that counts as cheating, even if it might save someone's face.

Did this happen to anyone else? Apparently this is a new ISA that's not been done before. How much solution X were you given? Ours filled up I think about half or a third of a boiling tube.

Also note the directions given to the student state you have to put in "THE sample of solution X", not A sample, so it doesn't seem to be a student mistake.