The Fireside Grille caters a wedding in Altoona, Iowa, and 51 guests got sick the next day, according to news reports. Lindsey Graham-Humphreys, the bride, told the Des Moines Register that her guests got sick after eating food served by that restaurant. The Fireside Grill is located at 523 8th Street SouthEast in Altoona.
Some of the guests were sick with symptoms of food poisoning for more than two days. Symptoms were not described, and there is no information about whether or not anyone was hospitalized. The bride contacted the establishment and was not satisfied with the answers.
An inspection at that establishment was conducted on June 12, 2023, which was allegedly days before the wedding. And some significant violations were found. This is a screen shot of the inspection report:
Proper meat and prepared vegetable storage is critical for food safety. In fact, sliced, chopped, and cut vegetables can be a source of food poisoning. The danger zone, where bacterial counts can double every 20 minutes, is 40°F to 140°F. The pork tenderloin was stored at 44.7°F, and diced tomatoes were stored at 45.6°F.
In addition, the dishwasher did not have sanitizer, the menu didn’t indicate which items could be served raw or undercooked, and the ice machine had a buildup of “what appears to be mold,” in the ice bin. Finally, the soap pump at the handwashing station by the main cooks line didn’t work at the time of inspection.
All of these violations were corrected onsite.
According to the Register report, the caterer allegedly arrived at the venue six hours early, and the bride said that the food was lukewarm when served.
The reports did not mention if the Iowa Department of Health was investigating, or if the restaurant has been re-inspected after these reports of illness.
If you have been sickened with a food poisoning infection, please contact our experienced attorneys for help with a possible lawsuit at 1-888-377-8900 or text us at 612-261-0856. Our firm represents clients in lawsuits against grocery stores, restaurants, and food processors.
