A Portuguese restaurant in London has been fined £4,000 after a diner was left with horrific burns when a flaming dish exploded.

Sporting Clube de Londres will also have to pay an additional £2,000 to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council to cover the costs of the criminal prosecution.

The victim was served a chorizo dish which burned out of control when the waiter topped it up with rum and the burning liquid spilled.

It was “as if someone had put a flame-thrower to my face” said the victim, who had to spend two weeks in hospital and will have to wear pressure garments on both hands for 23 hours a day for up to two years.

She has also suffered from flash-backs, panic attacks, anxiety and depression since the incident.

Councillor Fiona Buxton said: “I hope this fine gets the message across to other restaurants that the council will not tolerate any business which does not follow the correct health and safety procedures in the workplace.”

The court heard that Sporting Clube de Londres did not carry out a risk assessment on how to serve the dish and did not have control measures in place to prevent accidents.

Kensington and Chelsea Council website >>

Burns fact sheet >>

By Christopher Walton

 

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