Five people suffered chemical burns after drinking margaritas rimmed with a white granulated substance mistaken for sugar at a Chili's Grill & Bar in Forest City, N.C., a health official said. The three customers and two staff members who fell ill on Wednesday appeared to have been burned largely on and around their mouths, according to Megan Rollins, a spokeswoman at Foothills Health District, who spoke in an interview on Saturday. She said the injuries resulted from contact with a degreaser that had been left in an unlabeled container near the bar.
The chemical was brought into the restaurant early on Oct. 26 by a contractor hired to power wash the building's exterior, Ms. Rollins said. The contractor, who was not identified, handed the product to a restaurant employee, who left it by the bar. On Wednesday, another employee prepping the bar before lunch service discovered the product and placed some of it in containers at the margarita station, where salt or sugar rimmers are typically set out.
When customers reported an instant burn after consuming the drinks, two workers sampled the substance and experienced the same symptoms. All five went to local urgent care centers. The Foothills Health District immediately closed the restaurant and temporarily suspended its permit. Jason Masters, the district's public health director, said environmental health specialists were dispatched to investigate.
The restaurant reopened on Thursday after complying with safety requirements. A Chili's representative said the chain "took immediate action to support those affected and avoid further injuries" and had "thoroughly investigated the circumstances." It was unclear whether the Forest City Police Department had opened an investigation.
Source: New York Times Business · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing