Four rushed to hospital from Tiger Tiger after being served toxic chemical instead of salt

A club has been fined after a bartender accidentally served caustic soda instead of salt with tequila shots. The mistake at Tiger Tiger nightclub in central London led to four customers being rushed to hospital.

Westminster City Council revealed that the venue was slapped with a £120,000 fine after admitting to four charges under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work act. This happened at Westminster Magistrates Court last week.

The council's health and safety team discovered that the incident occurred when a group ordered four tequila shots, usually served with salt and lime, on December 7, 2021. The bartender realised there was no salt for the shots and went to an unlit area behind the bar.

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He used a disposable plastic cup to scoop what he thought was salt from a large white container on a shelf. The customers poured the white substance onto their hands, licked it, and drank the shot. They quickly fell ill and emergency services were called.

The bartender tasted the substance himself when he noticed something was wrong, which burnt his mouth and tongue. Police officers who arrived at the scene found a white container with a caustic soda label on it.

The substance tested turned out to be very strong with a PH level of 13.

Councillor Aicha Less commented: "The shocking details of this case show a lack of attention and proper process for handling toxic cleaning chemicals."

She added: "This incident shows that overlooking basic safety measures can have the most serious consequences.