KERMIT, W.Va. — Health officials have temporarily shut down a southern West Virginia pizza restaurant after a district manager was caught on surveillance video urinating into a sink.
The Mingo County health department on Tuesday ordered the Pizza Hut in Kermit, about 85 miles southwest of Charleston, to shut down. A department notice posted on the restaurant’s door said conditions in the restaurant constituted a substantial public health hazard.
The video posted on YouTube and media websites shows the manager urinating in a metal sink in a food preparation area. The video is dated Jan. 29.
Pizza Hut said the incident occurred after business hours.
The Kermit restaurant is owned by Wichita, Kan.-based Rage Inc. The company’s website says it owns Pizza Huts in seven states. In West Virginia, it also has locations in Ceredo, Chapmanville, Danville and two in Logan.
Rage referred questions to Pizza Hut Corp. spokesman Doug Terfehr, who issued a statement saying the company was “embarrassed by the actions of this individual.”
“Pizza Hut has zero tolerance for violations of our operating standards, and the local owner of the restaurant took immediate action and terminated the employee involved,” the statement said. “While the isolated incident occurred during non-business hours and did not involve any food tampering, we follow strict safety and handling procedures and the restaurant has since been closed. We apologize to our customers of Kermit, West Virginia and those in our system who have been let down by this situation.”
The employee’s name wasn’t released.
The firing was first reported by WOWK-TV. County health official Brett Vance told the station the restaurant will remain closed until it is thoroughly cleaned and there are reassurances of safeguards in place.