Margarita Mix-Up Leaves Chili's Customers With Burns
Five people suffered chemical burns at a Chili's restaurant in Forest City, North Carolina, after an employee mistakenly used a cleaning agent in margaritas. Health officials report that three customers and two employees were affected. The incident occurred when an industrial degreaser was confused for a drink ingredient. The restaurant was temporarily closed following the event. While some reports specify the chemical was mistaken for salt, others state it was mistaken for sugar.
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- ✓ Five people suffered chemical burns at a North Carolina Chili's.
- ✓ The injuries resulted from cleaning chemicals mixed into margaritas.
- ✓ Three of the victims were customers.
- ✓ The incident took place at a Chili's in Forest City.
What changed
Reports now confirm that two employees were among the five victims and the affected location was in Forest City.
Live updates
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Five People Burned by Degreaser in North Carolina Chili's Margaritas
Five people suffered chemical burns at a Chili's restaurant in Forest City, North Carolina, after an employee mistakenly used a cleaning agent in margaritas. Health officials report that three customers and two employees were affected. The incident occurred when an industrial degreaser was confused for a drink ingredient. The restaurant was temporarily closed following the event. While some reports specify the chemical was mistaken for salt, others state it was mistaken for sugar.
Why it matters
The use of unlabeled industrial chemicals in food preparation poses severe health risks and regulatory violations. This incident highlights failures in chemical storage and labeling protocols within a commercial kitchen.
What is confirmed
- Five people suffered chemical burns at a North Carolina Chili's.
- The injuries resulted from cleaning chemicals mixed into margaritas.
- Three of the victims were customers.
- The incident took place at a Chili's in Forest City.
- The restaurant was temporarily closed after the event.
Still unconfirmed
- An unlabeled industrial degreaser was mistaken for margarita salt.
- An employee mistakenly used cleaning powder instead of sugar to make the drinks.
- Two employees suffered chemical burns.
What to watch next
- Health department inspection results for the Forest City location
- Legal filings or settlements from the injured customers
- Company statements regarding new chemical labeling protocols
confidence 90%Sources used for this update (12)
- USA Today — Chili's customers get chemical burns after drinking margaritas
- WBTV — 3 Chili’s customers burned after chemical reportedly mixed into drinks in North Carolina
- The New York Times — Margaritas Rimmed With Degreaser Burn 5 People at a North Carolina Chili’s
- Newser — Margarita Mix-Up Leaves Chili's Customers With Burns
- Syracuse.com — 5 suffer chemical burns from Chili’s margaritas mixed with cleaning product in N.C.
- The Independent — Three Chili’s customers chemically burned after margarita mix-up
- nypost.com — North Carolina Chili’s customers suffer chemical burns after ...
- www.medboundtimes.com — Chili’s Margarita Mix-Up Leaves Customers With Chemical Burns
- www.newser.com — Margarita Mix-Up Leaves Chili's Customers With Burns - Newser
- abcnews.com — Video 5 people at Chili's in North Carolina suffer burns ...
- www.vice.com — Chili's Customers Suffer Chemical Burns After Employee ... - VICE
- www.wral.com — Three NC Chili's customers treated for chemical burns after ...
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