Woman’s Legs Burst Into Flames During Luxury LA Restaurant Dinner as Lawsuit Reveals Horrifying Burns
A woman has filed a lawsuit against a luxury Los Angeles restaurant after allegedly suffering severe burns when her legs caught fire during a dinner with friends.
Angela Ciccone was dining at Maison Kasai, an upscale hibachi-style restaurant in downtown Los Angeles, on September 5, when a cooking accident allegedly turned the evening into a terrifying ordeal.
According to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, a chef was preparing food in front of diners at an open-flame grill when a container of cooking oil he was holding suddenly caught fire.
The flames reportedly engulfed the chef’s arm and neck. As the burning oil spilled onto the floor near the cooking station, the fire spread toward Ciccone.
She allegedly looked down and realized that both the floor and her legs were on fire.
In a desperate attempt to put out the flames, Ciccone stood up, rolled on the floor and repeatedly patted her legs. A friend who was dining with her also rushed to help.
The lawsuit makes a particularly troubling allegation about what happened next. Ciccone claims restaurant employees helped move the injured chef to another room but that no staff member came to her assistance.
Her friends eventually helped her move away from the area and called 911. Firefighters responded, and Ciccone was taken to an emergency department, where doctors diagnosed second-degree burns to both legs.
She received intravenous fluids, pain medication and burn dressings before being transferred the following morning to a specialized burn center at Torrance Memorial Medical Center.
According to the court filings, she remained there until September 17 and underwent surgery to remove damaged tissue, followed by skin graft procedures.
The complaint describes an extremely painful recovery. Ciccone alleges that changing her dressings caused intense pain because the bandages repeatedly pulled at newly healing skin.
She also claims that direct sunlight continues to cause sensitivity and discomfort in the affected areas, and that the injuries are expected to leave permanent scars.
The lawsuit includes photographs showing the extensive burns on her legs.
Ciccone is seeking compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, disfigurement, physical impairment and the alleged loss of enjoyment of everyday activities. The amount of damages she is seeking was not specified in the original complaint.
Maison Kasai is located on the eighth floor of the Moxy hotel in downtown Los Angeles, as part of the Level 8 dining and entertainment complex. The restaurant specializes in teppanyaki-style cooking, in which chefs prepare food on a hot grill directly in front of guests, sometimes incorporating dramatic flames into the performance.
The lawsuit names Lightstone Parent LLC as a defendant. The restaurant and the company were reportedly contacted for comment.
The allegations have not been established in court, and the lawsuit does not by itself determine legal responsibility for the incident.
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