Two Dubai barmen were fined AED 10,000 each by The Misdemeanours Court after a flame juggling act went wrong and left three people with second-degree burns.
The incident occurred in Mahiki at Jumeirah Beach Hotel and the accused were said to have been juggling flaming bottles of alcohol when one of the bottles blew up, inflicting burns on a 23-year-old British air hostess, a 40-year-old French tourist and a 27-year-old finance manager.
In a report carried by Gulf News, the finance manger said he initially thought the flames on his hand were caused by a cigarette.
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“But then the fire spread to my upper body. I tried to take my shirt off, but failed. A man came to my rescue and managed to take it off me,” the manager told the paper.
During the trial both men, a 22 year-old from the Czech Republic and a 47-year-old South African, denied the charges, blaming each other for using too much alcohol in the act.
The case has now been referred to the Civil Court, which will decide whether the barmen should compensate the victims.
The news follows various discussions over the safety of flair bartending using flaming liquors, with a number of outlets in the emirate choosing to ban the act in their bars.
Zinc Bar in Crowne Plaza Dubai banned the use of flammable liquids for flairing four years ago. Upon request it delivers flaming cocktails, but “not flaring”, manager James Young told Hotelier last year.
Caterer Middle East Bartender of the Year 2011 Ferdie Idris, who has worked in UAE bars for several years, said in 2012 that usually staff were required to undergo risk assessment and "serious training" on collaborating and choreographing safe acts.
However, he said it was often common in bars for junior tenders to be impressed by the moves and copy them.
“Many just copy the moves and try to do it behind the bar without any proper training or any risk assessment training from their management team. There is little thought behind the risk involved and that is the why many accidents happen,” explained Idris.
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