A Texas couple, Abigael Hance-Briscoe and Dustin Johnson, are seeking legal action against a local bar, Twisted Trick, following a horrific incident that left them with severe burns. The couple visited the bar in August to show their support for the new establishment. During their visit, Johnson ordered a cocktail named “Flaming Pineapple,” which was served with a flaming lime garnish.
Johnson, familiar with the theatrics of Tiki bars, expected a brief flash of fire before he could enjoy his drink. However, the bartender offered to add more Everclear liquor to the already flaming cocktail. Following the addition of the extra liquor, the bartender used a bar torch, causing the drink to ignite violently. The glass shattered, and the fire spread to both Hance-Briscoe and Johnson, as stated in the lawsuit.
Johnson managed to escape the bar, his shirt, face, arms, beard, and chest hair ablaze. He saw his girlfriend, Hance-Briscoe, rolling on the ground in an attempt to extinguish the flames that had engulfed her. It wasn’t until someone threw water on her that the fire was put out. Hance-Briscoe later recounted the horrifying moment when she saw her skin peeling off her arm and her bra had to be cut off as it had melted into her skin.
Upon waking up in the burn unit of Parkland Hospital, Hance-Briscoe discovered that her burns extended up to her cheeks, and her left ear was also burned. The medical team had to shave one side of her head due to concerns about potential scalp injuries. Johnson’s burns, while less severe, required several days of hospitalization.
Hance-Briscoe spent seven weeks in the hospital, during which she underwent multiple skin grafts and battled sepsis. She now requires physical therapy and reconstructive surgery and uses a walker due to the sepsis.
The couple’s lawsuit alleges that Twisted Trick failed to adequately train its staff on the dangers of flaming drinks and did not serve the couple safely. They have set up a GoFundMe page to help cover their medical bills, which are estimated to exceed $20,000.
Twisted Trick has since closed permanently. The bar’s former owners’ attorneys have denied the allegations made by Hance-Briscoe and Johnson, referring to the incident as a “pure accident” and suggesting that the couple did not take the necessary precautions before accepting the drink. The bar’s response to the lawsuit states that any alleged damages were caused or exacerbated by the plaintiffs’ failure to use reasonable diligence to mitigate them.