Flaming cocktail leaves woman with severe burns

A woman has been taken to hospital with severe burns after a flaming cocktail “exploded” in her face during a night out in Manchester.

A flaming cocktail is made at Lola’s in Manchester

The 24-year-old was drinking at Lola’s cocktail lounge in the city’s Northern Quarter when she was suddenly engulfed in fire.

The Manchester Evening News reported that while others in the bar dived for cover an ambulance was called, with emergency services being told that the woman’s “face is on fire”.

A spokesman for North West Ambulance Service confirmed that a callout had taken place at 1.54am on Sunday, adding: “A female suffered significant facial burns.” Paramedics arrived at the scene less than five minutes after the call was made.

The bar’s management called the incident a “freak accident” and said it would be reviewing its health and safety measures.

A spokesman for Lola’s said: “Following the recent event in our venue resulting in injury to one of our customers, we sincerely offer our sympathies for her injuries sustained.

“We have been trading for many years and have never had another incident such as this and we have revisited our health and safety procedures once again to prevent this type of freak accident from happening again.”

The victim was drinking a “flaming sambuca” cocktail when the accident happened; she was treated with morphine at the scene and eye-witnesses said that her hair had also caught fire.