What happened at the Forest City restaurant
A Chili's Grill & Bar in Forest City, North Carolina, is open again after several people were hurt by margaritas that had been prepared with a cleaning chemical rather than a sugar rimmer, NBC News reported. The restaurant is about 60 miles west of Charlotte.
According to a statement from the Foothills Health District, the customers ordered the drinks soon after the restaurant opened for lunch. The agency said they "immediately experienced discomfort and chemical burns in and around their mouths." It said three customers were affected.
Two employees were hurt as well. The district said they later tasted the substance and "reported similar symptoms." The restaurant was shut down on Thursday, and local health inspectors allowed it to reopen the following day.
How a degreaser ended up at the bar
The health district laid out a sequence of events that began on the morning of Oct. 26. According to its statement, an employee received a granulated degreasing chemical from a contracted worker who was power washing the outside of the building. The employee put the chemical into an unlabeled container.
The district said it is unclear why the container was then carried inside and left in the bar area. Two days later, the chemical was accidentally added to margaritas.
Inspectors found that a worker preparing the bar for lunch service came across the container and, believing it held sugar, used its contents to set up the margarita station. NBC News noted that, according to Chili's menu, several of its margaritas are made with a citrus-sugar rimmer, in addition to the traditional salt.
Conflicting counts and the company's response
Chili's described the episode differently from the health district. A company spokesperson said in an email that it was isolated to a single restaurant in Forest City and had injured two guests and team members. The spokesperson said the company acted right away to help those affected and to prevent further injuries.
The spokesperson also said Chili's had investigated the circumstances thoroughly and dealt with the problems specific to that location. The statement did not say what changes were made.
NBC News said it asked the spokesperson why the company's count of injured customers differed from the one the health district gave earlier. According to the outlet, the spokesperson did not respond to that follow-up question.
Where the investigation stands
Megan Rollins, a spokesperson for the Foothills Health District, said in an email that the investigation has been closed and that no fines were issued. She said those who were hurt received medical treatment but that she had no information about their conditions.
The source material does not say how serious the burns were, whether anyone was hospitalized, or what specific steps the restaurant took before reopening. It also does not explain why the container was moved into the bar area.
Clearly labeling chemical containers is a basic workplace safety practice, and the reported sequence shows how a single unmarked container can lead to harm. According to the health district's account, that is what happened here.
