![Gurugram restaurant incident, 5 hospitalized after consuming mouth freshener](https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/1280x960/filters:format(webp)/ground-report/media/post_banners/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Source-Canva-19.webp)
In a scary incident at a restaurant in Sector 90 in Gurugram, Haryana, five people were hospitalized in critical condition after consuming a poisonous mouth freshener at a local restaurant. The incident has caused widespread alarm in the area, as the victims suffered severe health issues, including bleeding from the mouth.
Here's what happened
The evening took a turn for the worse when the diners, after finishing their meal, were offered a mouth freshener, which is customary in many restaurants. Shortly after consumption, they experienced intense burning sensations and began vomiting violently. The situation quickly escalated as they started bleeding from the mouth, causing panic and immediate concern for their well-being.
The victims were rushed to a private hospital for emergency care. Reports indicate that two of the five are in particularly grave condition, underscoring the seriousness of the poisoning.
One of the complainants quoted the news agency, saying, 'I showed the packet of the mouth freshener to a doctor, who identified it as dry ice. The doctor asserted that it is an acid that can lead to death.
Ankit Kumar and his group, which included his wife and friends, had visited the restaurant for dinner. They were offered a complimentary mouth freshener before leaving, which led to the unfortunate event, as per the Hindi news report. Kumar claimed that the restaurant staff did not offer help as the group’s health deteriorated and appeared indifferent to the situation.
Following the incident, a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against the owner of the restaurant, and the police have initiated an investigation into the matter.
What is dry Ice?
People commonly use "Dry Ice", the solid form of carbon dioxide, as a cooling agent for food products like ice cream and frozen desserts. They frequently use it for food items that need to be cold or frozen, without the use of mechanical cooling. However, improper handling of it may endanger human health because it sublimes into large quantities of carbon dioxide gas, leading to the danger of breathlessness (hypercapnia). Therefore, one should use/expose it to open air in a well-ventilated environment.
Liquid nitrogen and dry ice can both severely damage skin and internal organs if someone mishandles or accidentally ingests them because of the extremely low temperatures they can maintain. Therefore, people should not consume liquid nitrogen and dry ice directly or allow them to directly touch exposed skin. Although the United States has seen few retail food-related incidents involving accidental ingestion or direct contact with liquid nitrogen and dry ice, the injuries they have caused were severe.
Keep Reading
Beautyforever Body Wave Wig – Taking good care of your hair at night
How ocean biodiversity will be affected by global warming?
Solar energy program worth Rs 5.15 billion approved for tribal areas
Which Indian states have the highest potential to produce solar energy?
Follow Ground Report for Environmental News From India. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Koo App, Instagram, Whatsapp and YouTube. Write us on [email protected] and subscribe our free newsletter.
Don’t forget to check out our climate glossary, it helps in learning difficult environmental terms in simple language.