Teen’s hand scalded by takeaway coffee

PALMERSTON NORTH: A teenage girl suffered severe burns after she spilt a scorching hot cup of coffee on her hands at McDonald’s.

On August 17, 18yearold Aareta Mohi ordered two coffees from the Princess St, Palmerston North, McDonald’s drivethrough.

But when she grabbed her long black, the drink was so hot the cup changed shape, causing the lid to fall off and spill the drink on her hand, Ms Mohi said.

Her hand was severely burned. Ms Mohi said the drivethrough worker stood there and watched before offering some napkins.

‘‘I was trying to rearrange some stuff to make room when the lid popped off. The cup had kind of melted in and the lid popped off, so I tried to catch it,’’ she told Daily Mail.

‘‘But the coffee just spilled from my knuckles right down my whole palm. It just burnt my whole hand.’’

Ms Mohi said no ice or cold water was offered to help treat the burn.

She claimed the woman who just watched also criticised her for taking too long.

‘‘I tried to quickly park up and waved my hand in the air to cool it down. I went inside to use the bathroom and pour cold water on my hand.

‘‘Even the cold water was bubbling when it touched my hand and felt hot.’’

Ms Mohi was in tears when she arrived home, and her hand was red and swollen from the severe burn.

Her father took her to the doctors where they wrapped her hand in burn gauze.

Days later her dead skin started peeling back, leaving her with a huge wound.

She can barely use her right hand, which has led to her hours being reduced at work due to the injury.

Ms Mohi said it was ‘‘inhumane’’ McDonald’s did not offer her medical treatment.

A McDonald’s spokesman said staff were not alerted to the incident but the complaint was being taken seriously.

The family has been invited to McDonald’s to view the footage and discuss the incident.

He said the CCTV showed the lid being removed by the customer before it was spilt.

The spokesman said the company has ‘‘first aidtrained staff on every shift’’.