2025年11月22日，山東省博興縣的「小鮮肥牛火鍋店」發生一起嚴重的食品安全事故。多名顧客在店內用餐後出現噁心與嘔吐，情況嚴重者被緊急送往醫院觀察。經初步調查後確認，事故的起因是店員誤將原本用於加熱的液體燃料倒入火鍋鍋底，導致顧客誤食這類含醇類的燃料物質，引發一系列身體不適。

事件曝光於一段網路流傳的影片。拍攝者指出，自己在火鍋店用餐時親眼看到店員把燃料倒入鍋底，但店家當時堅稱鍋底沒有問題。值班經理甚至為了證明安全，當場舀起五勺鍋湯喝下肚。影片中的爆料者表示，這名經理不久後便身體不適，被迫催吐並自行送醫檢查。隨後更多顧客陸續出現嘔吐等症狀，情況因此引起社會關注。

官方後續通報指出，總共有11人因誤食受污染鍋底而入院觀察，其中4人的相關檢測指標呈現陽性反應，但尚未達到嚴重中毒的程度。經治療後，已有8人出院，其餘3人仍留院輸液觀察。涉事火鍋店已被勒令停業整頓。

在對事故原因的深入調查中，相關部門發現燃料與鍋底原料的容器外觀非常相似，使得工作人員在繁忙環境下容易誤判。有網友表示，該店的燃料壺與鍋底壺「長得一模一樣」，甚至有人留言稱自己在其他店也曾遇過類似錯裝的情況。由於液態醇基燃料多為甲醇或乙醇溶液，外觀清澈、氣味類似酒精，若與酒類或食材混放，更容易造成錯誤使用。部分媒體也指出，若餐飲場所將燃料與食用酒精、白酒等共同存放，或未以醒目方式進行標識，便會形成明顯的安全漏洞。

目前，11名受影響的消費者均為輕症，無重症或死亡報告。然而事件已促使博興縣成立由公安、市場監管、衛健等多部門組成的聯合調查組，全面追查事故責任與管理疏漏。同時，地方政府也表示將加強餐飲行業的食品安全監督，確保類似事件不再重演。

這起事故也為消費者與餐飲業經營者同時敲響警鐘。消費者若在用餐時發現鍋底味道或顏色異常，例如出現酒精或刺鼻氣味，應立即停止食用並提醒店家檢查。而餐飲業者在操作與儲存上更應嚴格區分燃料與食品用液體，不僅要使用不同容器，也需明確標示並由專人負責管理。監管部門則需加強檢查燃料的使用與存放方式，避免任何可能導致誤食的細節疏忽。

On November 22, 2025, a serious food safety incident occurred at “Xiaoxian Beef Hotpot,” a hotpot restaurant in Boxing County, Shandong Province. Several customers experienced nausea and vomiting after dining, with the more severe cases being rushed to the hospital for observation. Preliminary investigations confirmed that the incident was caused by a staff member mistakenly adding liquid fuel, originally intended for heating, into the hotpot base, leading customers to ingest the fuel containing alcohol-like substances and suffer physical discomfort.

The incident came to public attention through a video circulating online. The uploader stated that they witnessed the staff pouring fuel into the hotpot base, but the restaurant insisted that the hotpot was safe. To prove this, the on-duty manager even drank five ladles of the hotpot himself. The video indicated that the manager soon felt unwell, had to induce vomiting, and was hospitalized. Subsequently, more customers began showing symptoms such as vomiting, which drew widespread attention.

According to official reports, a total of 11 people were hospitalized after consuming the contaminated hotpot base. Among them, four individuals tested positive for certain indicators, though none had reached severe poisoning levels. After treatment, eight patients have been discharged, while the remaining three remain under intravenous observation. The restaurant has been ordered to suspend operations for rectification.

Further investigation revealed that the containers for the fuel and the hotpot base were very similar in appearance, leading to the staff’s misjudgment during busy operations. Some online users noted that “the fuel container and the hotpot base container look exactly the same,” and others mentioned encountering similar mistakes at other restaurants. Liquid alcohol-based fuels, primarily methanol or ethanol, are clear in appearance and smell similar to alcoholic beverages, which makes accidental consumption more likely, especially if stored alongside food-grade alcohol or other ingredients. Media reports also pointed out that mixing fuel with edible alcohol or improper labeling and storage creates a significant safety risk.

All 11 affected customers are reported to have mild symptoms, with no serious cases or fatalities. Nevertheless, the incident prompted Boxing County authorities to establish a joint investigation team consisting of the police, market supervision, and health departments to thoroughly examine the cause of the incident, hold responsible parties accountable, and ensure corrective measures are implemented. Local authorities have also stated they will strengthen food safety oversight in the restaurant industry to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

This incident serves as a warning to both consumers and restaurant operators. Consumers should immediately stop eating and alert staff if the hotpot base or broth shows abnormal color or odor, such as a strong alcohol or chemical smell. Restaurant operators should strictly separate fuels and food-grade liquids, use distinct containers, clearly label them, and assign responsible personnel for handling. Regulatory agencies must also enhance inspections of fuel usage and storage to prevent any possibility of accidental ingestion.