An explosion at a hibachi restaurant in Arkansas that left a woman with second-degree burns highlights the frequency at which restaurant explosions and fires occur across the country.
This past Sunday, Samantha Myers celebrated her 26th birthday with her family at Kimono Japanese Steak House in Paragould, AK. Myers told KATV News that they were eating lunch around a freshly cleaned hibachi grill when the chef drew a heart with flammable liquid on the grill, held a flame to the liquid, and it “exploded.” Both Myers and the chef caught on fire.
A woman said a mishap at a hibachi restaurant in Paragould, Arkansas Sunday left her with second-degree burns. https://t.co/vTODlN9ggv | #arnews pic.twitter.com/y12gqLKKi1
— KATV News (@KATVNews) February 12, 2020
Myers says that while she was in the bathroom to splash cold water on her burnt face, her family asked for help from the restaurant employees, but they did not respond. Myers was treated at an area hospital for first-degree burns on her face and second-degree burns on her neck and chest.
How Often do Restaurant Fires and Explosions Occur?
According to data from the NFPA, 7,410 fires were reported in eating and drinking establishments that killed three and injured 110 people between 2010-2014. Cooking equipment, as in the Arkansas hibachi restaurant explosion, was the top reported ignition source. Recent restaurant fires and explosions include:
Heater Malfunction at Mount Pleasant Restaurant Injures One
On Tuesday, February 11th, the Mount Pleasant Fire Department responded to reports of an explosion at Tavern and Table restaurant. One person was injured. The Fire Chief says the cause was a malfunctioning outdoor heater.
One Injured in Oven Explosion at Pequot Lakes Restaurant
One person suffered burn injuries from an oven explosion at Tasty Pizza North in Pequot Lakes, MN this past December. Police say the explosion was caused by the re-lighting of a pilot light in an oven after it went out.
Five Injured in Electrical Explosion at Huntington Beach Restaurant
A series of electrical explosions injured five people at Old World German Restaurant in Huntington Beach, CA during an Oktoberfest celebration this past fall. Authorities say that one of the restaurant’s three power transformers exploded in an underground vault. The restaurant’s owner sustained second- and third-degree burns on nearly 40% of his body.
Our fire and explosion legal team at Pritzker Hageman represents burn victims and families in cases nationwide. We have collected millions for our clients, many of whom suffered burn injuries through no fault of their own. For a free legal consultation, please fill out the form below, call 1-888-377-8900, or text 612-261-0856.