Fla. Woman Sues Bacardi, Claims Flaming Rum Dangerous

July 28, 2006

Woman sues Bacardi after allegedly burned by flaming rum
A woman who was allegedly severely burned by flaming rum during a Bacardi promotion is suing the spirits producer, claiming the product was defective and dangerous.

Danielle Alleyne, of Miami, was injured after she was doused with the flaming rum at a Miami night club in August 2002, according to the lawsuit filed in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court.

"The burning rum stuck to her skin and continued to burn as she fell to the floor and tried to put herself out,'' the lawsuit said. Alleyne suffered second and third degree burns on her face, neck, chest and back and is permanently disabled and disfigured, according to the lawsuit.

After hours telephone messages left at the Miami-based Bacardi USA Inc., were not immediately returned.

A bartender, who was not identified in the lawsuit, was pouring shots when a customer lit a menu on fire and placed it in the stream of alcohol. A bottle of Bacardi 151 that was being used to pour the shots turned into a flame thrower and sent flaming rum all over Alleyne, the lawsuit said.

A telephone message left after hours at the office of Robert Dickman, Alleyne's attorney, was not immediately returned.

The lawsuit alleges that Bacardi 151 proof rum "emits a high volume of combustible and explosive vapor'' which makes it "unreasonably dangerous'' and defective.