One year after a Salmonella outbreak was linked to its Las Vegas location, Firefly Tapas Kitchen and Bar in Henderson, Nevada has been cited by health inspectors for some of the same food safety violations found at the Las Vegas restaurant at the time of the outbreak.
Inspectors from the Southern Nevada Health District gave Firefly 38 demerits on a March 31 inspection, three short of triggering a mandatory closure. The violations included inadequate hand washing facilities, improper hand washing practices by food handlers; food that was not heated or cooled to the proper temperature and foods that were spoiled, unwholesome or adulterated. These violations were also discovered at the Las Vegas location prior to the outbreak.
The 38 demerits translated to a C rating from inspectors. The restaurant received an A rating with only three demerits on the inspection prior to this one conducted December 6, 2013.
Health officials determined that the the source of the 2013 Salmonella outbreak, which sickened people who ate at the restaurant on 3900 Paradise Road between April 21 – 26, 2013, was cooked chorizo sausage. Authorities discovered the problem when eight separate groups reported having diarrhea, nausea, fever, painful cramps and other symptoms after eating at the restaurant. Some of them required hospitalization.
