A diner at a Los Angeles hibachi restaurant suffered severe second-degree burns to her legs after a chef spilled hot cooking oil that ignited from an open-flame grill, according to a lawsuit.
Angela Ciccone was dining at Maison Kasai in downtown LA on September 5 when the incident occurred. While a chef was preparing food at the table's integrated grill, the cooking oil he was holding caught fire, engulfing his arm and neck before he spilled some on the floor.
Ciccone's lawsuit alleges that the oil ignited and "engulfed [his] entire arm and neck," leading to the spill. She reportedly looked down to find her legs on fire and attempted to extinguish the flames by patting them.
The complaint states that the combination of spilled oil and open flames created a "sudden blaze and inferno." According to the lawsuit, no Maison Kasai employees came to Ciccone's aid. Her friends reportedly helped her move to another room and called 911.
Ciccone was transported to a hospital and later transferred to the burn center at Torrance Memorial Medical Center. She spent 11 days at the burn center receiving surgical debridement and skin grafting for her second-degree burns. The lawsuit claims that dressing changes were "excruciatingly painful" and that the scarring is presumed to be permanent, with sensitivity and pain occurring with direct sunlight exposure.
The lawsuit filed by Ciccone alleges that Maison Kasai staff were negligent in failing to handle cooking oil safely, contain the fire, and provide assistance after she was burned. The amount of compensation sought for damages was not specified in the complaint. The Daily Mail has reached out to Maison Kasai and Ciccone's legal representatives for comment.