A wine bar in the United Kingdom has been fined $244,600 after an 18-year-old girl had to have her stomach removed after drinking a free liquid nitrogen cocktail.
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After experiencing what she described as an “explosion” in her stomach, she was taken to Lancaster Royal Infirmary where a Connecticut scan revealed a large perforation where the liquid nitrogen had burned a hole in her stomach and completely destroyed the lining.
Moments after Miss Scanlon drank the shot, smoke began pouring from her mouth and nose.
He said: “The investigation [into the incident] uncovered severe systematic failures by the company and its owners”.
Conservative MP David Morris called for a ban on liquid nitrogen cocktails in the wake of the incident and said he was “very angry” that one of his constituents had been injured by the substance.
Scanlon’s friend testified that the bartender had told her to “drink it while it’s still smoking”.
The court was told the bar had been warned about the risks of using the gas and was advised about the “ten second rule” – waiting ten seconds after serving it before the drink was safe to consume.
“I turned to the man and asked if it was OK to drink”.
At a sentencing hearing today the company, which is registered in Swinton, South Yorkshire, was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay £40,000 towards prosecution costs.
She added that the liquid nitrogen drinks shouldn’t be served at all, and that everyone should avoid them.
“When someone walks into a bar or restaurant in this country, they have a right to know that what is being served is safe, and the House has a duty to enforce that right”.
Preston Crown Court heard Scanlon continues to suffer from pain due to the incident and that she can no longer enjoy eating food.
Drinks containing liquid nitrogen have become popular in some establishments because of the dramatic effect it creates.
It had been alleged he presented the Nitro-Jagermeister at the customer’s table when it was still producing cold nitrogen gases and was unsafe to drink.
The publication also reports that senior health and safety officer Peter Lord had visited the premises in May 2012 and sent a letter with guidance on use of liquid nitrogen in drinks soon after.
The family that runs and operates Oscar’s has issued apologies to Scanlon’s family and is reportedly “mortified”, by the events that transpired.
“There is no need to teach this company or the Dunn family a lesson”.
A verdict of not guilty was accepted against bar employee Matthew Harding, who denied failing in his duty to take reasonable care for the health and safety of others at work.
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“The essence of this calamity was the ignorance on the part of the company”.
