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Police in Tokyo said Saturday that 16 bar customers and staff were taken to hospital on Friday night after suffering carbon monoxide poisoning.
According to police, the incident occurred at the Dining Bar Gold.K in Akabane, Kita Ward, at around 8:30 p.m. NTV reported that both customers and employees suffered numbness in their hands and feet, nausea and headaches.
An employee called 119 and eight people were taken to hospital. Another eight went to hospital by themselves shortly after. Police said none suffered any lingering effects.
Police said a charcoal fire was being used to cook food in the kitchen at the time of the incident.
© Japan Today
6 Comments
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Disillusioned
Oh, der! I guess he didn't read the warning on the box about using charcoal in a well ventilated area.
kyushubill
I suppose proper training of your "cooks" would be in order.
TrevorPeace1
The restaurant owner should be fined. Burning charcoal inside,. as everyone knows, is an invitation to death. Someone was certainly short a brick(ette). Pardon the pun.
Elbuda Mexicano
These guys were lucky no one died!! In the winter in many countries, people cooking or trying to keep warm with charcoal and no proper ventilation end up dead! No Akabane bar for me!
Novenachama
What's really scary about carbon monoxide poisoning is the long term effects of damage at the cellular level since some cells are more sensitive to oxygen deprivation and toxicity. The brain, heart, nervous system, endocrine system, organs, and cells all can be affected directly and indirectly. There is also the continuation of physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral, and social effects including the subtle impacts on physical, mental, behavioral, work, and career and home life even after years of recovery from major symptoms. However carbon monoxide poisoning effects people in different ways and some people are at higher risks from ongoing long term effects. In the end there are probably no comprehensive long term studies on the ongoing effect and real life impact of carbon monoxide poison. So more health research and laboratory studies is needed.
sighclops
This highlights an issue I've always had working in Japan. There are no regulations regarding ventilation & maintenance, so you will often see air con vents & ducts full of dust & dirt. It's even worse with kitchens - in some places the ventilation ducts are never cleaned! If you saw the amount of oil & gunk spewing out, you'd never eat there again!