Wedding day tragedy as guest dies of salmonella and dozens fall ill after kosher banquet

Date published: 01 September 2010

A wedding guest died and dozens more were left ill after being poisoned with salmonella at the reception meal, reports The Daily Mail.

Rene Kwartz , aged 82, was one of four guests rushed to hospital following the kosher meal at a hotel in Bury, Greater Manchester, but doctors were unable to save her.

Public health officials have now launched an investigation into the contamination.
Fourteen guests are taking legal action against the catering firm that provided food for the traditional Jewish celebration at the Hilton Suite off Bury New Road.

The menu included a buffet of canapes, a salmon starter, chicken soup, potatoes, vegetables, chocolate pudding and ice cream.

The family said that dozens of guests had later fallen ill.

Nine were confirmed to have contracted salmonella after laboratory tests, and the bug was recorded the cause of death on Mrs Kwartz's death certificate.

The three others who needed hospital treatment - a couple in their 80s and a 47-year-old woman - were later released.

The bride's mother, Norma Harris, 58, was among those taken ill. She said that the tragedy - following the marriage of her daughter Jennifer to Stephen Wicks on August 8 - had devastated everyone.

Mrs Harris, from Crumpsall, said: 'The four that were in hospital were very ill indeed. We are absolutely devastated. My daughter doesn't want to see her wedding photographs. We are in bits.'

Manchester law firm Pannone LLP is representing the guests taking action against caterers Shefa Mehadrin, of Bury New Road, Sedgeley Park.

Clare Campbell, from Pannone, said: 'This is a terrible tragedy arising from what was supposed to have been a joyous occasion.'

The investigation is being carried out by Bury council's environmental health department and the Health Protection Agency.

In a statement issued by their solicitors, the caterers said: 'We would like to offer our condolences to the family of Mrs Kwartz. An investigation is currently under way, with which we are fully co-operating. Pending the outcome of this investigation we are therefore unable to comment further at this time, other than to reassure all our customers that we always treat food safety as an issue of paramount importance.'

Dr Marko Petrovic, from the Health Protection Agency, said: 'Deaths from salmonella infection are rare.'