Detergent served as soft drink: girl fallen sick, restaurant employees arrested

• Police find several more bottles of cleaning chemicals at the restaurant

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya

Police and the Colombo Municipal Council’s Medical Officer have launched an investigation after a 19-year-old girl was hospitalised after ingesting a cleaning chemical served in a soft drink bottle at a restaurant in People’s Park, Pettah.

The incident occurred on December 31 when the girl, accompanied by her mother, visited the restaurant.
She began vomiting shortly after drinking it. She was admitted to the National Hospital, Colombo and later transferred to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases for further treatment.

Following a complaint by the girl’s relatives, the police recorded statements from three restaurant employees.

It was discovered that the restaurant had mistakenly given the girl a bottle containing detergent instead of a soft drink.

Employees told the police that the main branch of the restaurant had been sending cleaning chemicals in empty soft drink bottles. The staff was unable to distinguish between the soft drinks and cleaning liquids, leading to the error.

Police also found several other bottles containing similar chemicals in the restaurant.

Meanwhile, Elephant House Beverages (Ceylon Cold Stores) issued a statement clarifying that the liquid in question was not their Elephant House Ginger Beer (EGB).

The company confirmed that the restaurant had repurposed an empty EGB bottle to store the cleaning chemical, which was then mistakenly sold to the customer.

The company said that investigations are ongoing, with relevant authorities taking necessary action.         

 It was discovered that the restaurant had mistakenly given the girl a bottle containing detergent instead of a soft drink.

Employees told the police that the main branch of the restaurant had been sending cleaning chemicals in empty soft drink bottles. The staff was unable to distinguish between the soft drinks and cleaning liquids, leading to the error.

Police also found several other bottles containing similar chemicals in the restaurant.

Meanwhile, Elephant House Beverages (Ceylon Cold Stores) issued a statement clarifying that the liquid in question was not their Elephant House Ginger Beer (EGB).

The company confirmed that the restaurant had repurposed an empty EGB bottle to store the cleaning chemical, which was then mistakenly sold to the customer.

The company said that investigations are ongoing, with relevant authorities taking necessary action.     

• The staff was unable to distinguish between the soft drinks and cleaning liquids, leading to the error