Shandong hotpot restaurant suspended after fuel mistakenly added to soup, 11 hospitalized

A hotpot restaurant in Shandong province has suspended operations after a staff member mistakenly added fuel to a soup pot, sending 11 people to hospital.

The incident occurred at Xiao Xian Fei Niu hotpot restaurant in Boxing County. Video posted online showed a service worker pouring liquid from a container into a soup pot that customers later consumed.

According to the Boxing County Disease Control Center, 11 people were hospitalized after accidentally consuming the fuel. Four showed positive indicators in tests but didn't reach poisoning levels. Only one patient remains hospitalized for observation while the others have been discharged.

Local authorities have formed an investigation team including the county's public security bureau, market supervision administration and health bureau to handle the incident as a public health emergency.

The restaurant has temporarily closed, with its listing on food delivery platform Meituan showing operations suspended.