Chef dies after falling into giant vat of chicken soup

The 25-year-old Iraqi chef suffered third-degree burns to more than 70 per cent of his body.

FILE photo: Workers prepare and serve soup for people in need at the Takeyat Ibrahim kitchen in Hebron's Old City in West Bank on 15 April, 2021 (AFP via Getty Images)

In a horrifying incident, a 25-year-old Iraqi chef fell into a giant vat of chicken soup, sustaining third-degree burns over 70 per cent of his body, several Middle Eastern outlets reported. He succumbed to his injuries five days later.

Issa Ismail was making chicken soup for a wedding party on 15 June in Iraq’s northern district of Zakho, when he slipped and fell into the vat. Ismail, a father of three, was preparing food at the Hazel Hall for Weddings and Events when the accident happened.

Zakho district rests with the Iraqi Kurdistan — also known as the Kurdistan Autonomous Region of Iraq. The United Arab Emirates News reported that Ismail had been a cook for about eight years.

He was rushed to a hospital in the nearby city of Dohuk for treatment.

After battling severe burn injuries for several days, Ismail succumbed on 21 June. His tragic death has led to an outpouring of grief on social media when news of this accident was finally out.

One of his relatives, Zervan Hosni, was quoted in the local media as saying: “The deceased... cooked food at wedding parties, mourning boards and various ceremonies, and for two years he has been working in two-party halls for 25,000 dinars per day.”

25,000 dinars is roughly equivalent to $17.12 US dollars.

The local Kurdish media — Rudaw Media Network — quoted him as saying that Ismail had three children and the youngest was just six months old.

Gulf News reported that the news of Ismail’s tragic death also led to commentators urging that safety and preventive measures inside restaurants and kitchens be upgraded.

Mourners also emphasised the need for increased enforcement of safety precautions in commercial kitchens, Gulf News added.