A fatal and distressing incident occurred at an Olive Garden restaurant in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on January 30. A male cook died by suicide by thrusting his head into a hot deep-fryer in full view of coworkers and customers.
Tragic incident at a Pennsylvania Olive Garden sees a cook take his own life in the restaurant kitchen. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg (Bloomberg)
The identity of the victim will not be revealed, as per the Pennsylvania State Police.
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What unfolded at the Olive Garden?
The New York Post reports that the worker undressed before sticking his head into the boiling grease fryer.
The victim’s coworkers were terrified and attempted to intervene as the cook tried to dive head first into the fryer. A female coworker suffered minor burns while attempting to stop the cook from injuring himself even further.
According to authorities, the cook passed away from his injuries after being taken to a local hospital for treatment of his serious burns.
Pennsylvania State Police spokesperson Trooper Lauren Lesher told The Smoking Gun that authorities categorize the incident as a suicide attempt. He further clarified that out of respect for the individual and family privacy, further personal details of the cook will not be released.
The restaurant temporarily closed after the incident, but has since reopened.
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The 911 dispatcher sounded shaken
The 911 dispatch audio reviewed by the New York Post reveals the chaotic scene that unfolded at the Olive Garden.
In the recordings, a dispatcher, clearly rattled according to the New York Post, can be heard saying “a male victim went head first into the fryers” and that there were “a lot of people screaming.”
“I don’t have a lot of details … lot of people screaming, some kind of a burn victim,” the emergency dispatcher said.
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