TWIST IN CASE OF 11 PEOPLE WHO FELL VIOLENTLY ILL AFTER BIRTHDAY BASH
- Six elderly guests were taken to hospital
- Guests believe pea and ham soup was to blame
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Guests at an 80th birthday bash believe a batch of ham and pea soup, which took the party's host three days to make, was behind 11 people falling violently ill.
As many as 64 guests arrived at the party on Hope Street in Norman Park, Brisbane, at 3.30pm on Sunday to celebrate the 80th birthday of John Weir.
Emergency services were immediately called after 11 guests became ill experiencing severe gastro symptoms including fatigue, dizziness, nausea and fainting.
Guests suspect a batch of pea and ham soup, which was cooked by Mr Weir himself and took three days to make, was to blame.
Things took a turn during the speeches when one woman fainted and another fell to the floor.
Paramedics assessed a total of 10 elderly guests at the home before taking six of them to Princess Alexander, Mater and Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospitals
All six guests taken to hospital have since been discharged and are doing well.
Emergency services were later called to another home in Shorncliffe at midnight after receiving reports a woman, who was also a guest at the party, was experiencing similar symptoms.
She was taken to Princess Charles Hospital in a stable condition.
Kellie Peta, who attended the party with her dad to celebrate his best friend's birthday, said the soup looked 'watery and gross'.
'The birthday boy was very late and made his 'infamous' pea and ham soup which dad and I were laughing about and everyone was making a fuss over,' Ms Peta told the Courier Mail.
'Someone sat next to me that had the pea and ham soup and it looked watery and gross.
'Dad and I were making a bit of a joke about the quality of uncle John's infamous pea and ham.'
When guests started getting sick, Ms Peta turned to her dad and joked that it was due to the infamous soup.
Police have ruled out food poisoning as the likely cause after Queensland Fire and Emergency Services tested the food and found no toxic substances present.
Police have not made an official determination on what caused the sickness - but many believe it was the pea and ham soup as those who fell sick all had a serving.
Birthday boy Mr Weir had little to say about the incident, joking that he was glad he did not get sick.
'Oh the pea and ham, oh Christ,' Mr Weir told 9News. 'Oh, I feel really, really sorry for them. Thank God it's not me.'
Read more 2024-04-16T06:42:20Z dg43tfdfdgfd