Lawyer: Woman sues Cedar Park restaurant after flaming queso burns her

June 07--A 27-year-old woman received second- and third-degree burns after the flaming queso she ordered in May at a Mexican restaurant in Cedar Park blew up in her face, according to a lawsuit.

She has sued Dos Salsas and its manager, William Plata. Plata could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.

The woman,an Austin resident, was eating at the restaurant at 1600 E. Whitestone Blvd. on May 20 with her family when the incident happened, said her lawyer, Adam Loewy.

She ordered an appetizer called the "Quesos Flameados," the lawsuit said.

The waitress serving the dish at the restaurant usually brings it to the table already on fire and sprays a chemical on it that makes the flames go straight up, Loewy said. That didn't happen in this case, he said. A waitress brought it out and sprayed the chemical but instead of going up, the fire "went sideways and engulfed (the victim) in flames," he said.

The woman who was burned dived to the ground and her family doused her with water, Loewy said. She was burned on her face, chest, neck and arms and was taken to a burn unit in San Antonio, he said.

The victim, who works in the insurance business, has been unable to return to work but has been released from the hospital, Loewy said. He said she will need plastic surgery.

The victim is suing the restaurant and its manager for more than $1 million.

"I think this is the height of negligence they would have a dish like this in which they have no fire training for the waitress," said Loewy. "I think the evidence will show something like this was bound to happen."

The lawsuit was filed Friday.

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