British bar fined $156K for liquid nitrogen cocktail that ‘exploded’ in teen’s stomach

[IronLionZion]

British bar fined $156K for liquid nitrogen cocktail that ‘exploded’ in teen’s stomach, forced organ's removal

A British bar whose liquid nitrogen cocktail caused a teenager to literally lose her stomach while celebrating her birthday has been fined approximately $156,000.

The Lancaster wine bar accepted blame for the near fatal 2012 concoction which left 18-year-old Gaby Scanlon "smoking from her nose and mouth," The Telegraph reported.

"Straight away I knew something was not right," Scanlo, now 20, said while recalling looking to the bar's staff for help and guidance after downing the complimentary drink.

She said a bartender at Oscar's Wine Bar and Bistro had encouraged her to "drink it while it's still smoking."

It was later revealed that that the staff had been instructed to have consumers wait 10 seconds, until the liquid nitrogen had boiled off.

Having gulped the smoky beverage as it continued to fizz, she said she felt "an explosion" inside of her, as the chemical ate away at her stomach lining and internal tissue.

She was rushed to a hospital where doctors had to remove her stomach and her small bowel connected to her esophagus. Today, nearly three years later, she still suffers from extreme pain, she said.

The bar pleaded guilty to one count of failing in the duty of an employer to ensure the safety of persons not in its employment, the BBC reported.

The family-run bar's barrister also apologized to Scanlon and her family, saying they had been left "mortified" by what happened.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/liquid-nitrogen-drink-exploded-british-teen-stomach-article-1.2364891

http://elitedaily.com/news/bar-teen-stomach-removed/1217822/

YOLO!

[PoliticAverse]

1. Liquid Nitrogen is not a toy. n/t

[Blue_Tires]

2. What kind of moron bartender thought this was a good idea?

[IronLionZion]

3. "the staff had been instructed to have consumers wait 10 seconds"

Sounds like it was an official feature of the bar, but the bartender misunderstood the instructions for the timing.

I've seen chefs use liquid nitrogen on cooking shows and it always made me nervous. I wouldn't want to mess with it. It's very dangerous.

[Blue_Tires]

4. Why ask customers to wait ten seconds?

When the server could just hold the drink until it was safe?