Horrified diners at a restaurant witnessed a disturbing incident where a 10-year-old boy caught fire while roasting marshmallows over a fire pit. The boy and his sister were near the pit when a 16-year-old waitress attempted to reignite the fire by pouring liquid fuel on it, causing the boy to sustain severe burns before his mother extinguished the flames. Subsequently, a fellow patron provided initial aid to the boy as his family looked on in distress.
Medical professionals later informed the boy’s parents that his eyesight was likely saved by the fact that he was wearing glasses. The incident occurred at Monterey Jack’s restaurant in Airdrie, Lanarkshire, which had only been operating for two weeks at the time of the accident in November 2018. The company has since admitted to two violations under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
During their visit to the restaurant, the boy, his 14-year-old sister, and their parents were enjoying a meal around a metal fuel burner encircled by stones, designed to create a campfire ambiance in line with the Wild West theme of the establishment. According to reports, the children were toasting marshmallows when the fire went out, leading the waitress to use liquid fuel to reignite it, resulting in the unfortunate incident.
The court proceedings revealed that employees under 18 should not have been responsible for managing the fire pit, a duty that should have been handled by a manager. It was emphasized that there was a lack of staff training and awareness of potential hazards among the employees.
Monterey Jack’s, which had multiple restaurant locations across Scotland, has ceased operations in 2022 but remains legally active due to the ongoing legal proceedings. The company’s representative expressed remorse and accepted accountability for the incident, acknowledging inadequacies in risk assessment, training, and supervision of underage staff.
Following the incident, all fire pits in the company’s premises were promptly removed to prevent similar occurrences in the future. The court raised concerns about the inherent risks associated with such fuel burners in public settings, and the company is awaiting sentencing in December.
