A Hot Chocolate Burn Lands a South Dakota Sixth Grader in the Mayo Clinic ER While on Vacation
A South Dakota sixth grader who recently traveled to Mankato, Minnesota with the intent of watching the Minnesota Vikings practice, instead ended up spending time in the Mayo Clinic ER with second-and possibly third-degree burns.
Luke Mentele traveled five hours with his cousin and grandmother on a vacation to watch Vikings training camp.
Instead of being able to watch a player or two get burned in practice, he ended up getting burned himself by a scalding hot chocolate he purchased from a self-serve machine at the Mankato Holiday Inn Express.
According to the boys mother, Melissa, Luke loves hot chocolate and and even drinks coffee with his grandmother from time to time. He also knows how to safely handle hot beverages but the water in this particular cup of hot chocolate was dangerously hot and her son is paying the price.
Melissa Mentele said, "The accident ruined his whole vacation and the rest of his entire summer."
The accident happened when Luke and his cousin got late-night hot chocolate from a self-serve machine at the Mankato hotel and the cup was almost too hot to handle.
According to Mentele,“They bumped each other and the cup upended over Lucas' chest. Everything blistered instantly. His arm blistered in quarter-to dime-size blisters, his whole upper arm was burnt. His skin literally melted. It wasn’t a normal coffee burn."
The general manager from the hotel said the well-being and comfort of guests is priority and that they “regret any injury that may have occurred at the property and are currently investigating this report.” It's not known at this time if the hotel will help cover any of the medical expenses incurred.
Luke's doctors guessed the hot chocolate that burned him was at least 180 to 200 degrees.
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the recommended temperature to serve warm beverages is about 150 degrees but can go up to 200 at some places that serve tea.
As for Luke, his mom says he will spend the rest of his summer inside chilling by her side. The good news, he'll be able to watch his Minnesota Vikings play on the tube again very soon.
Source: CBS Minnesota
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