Buffalo Wild Wings Employee Dies, 10 Others Hospitalized After Chemical Cleaner Exposure
March 14, 2026

A Buffalo Wild Wings employee in Massachusetts died, and ten others were hospitalized last week after they were exposed to a strong chemical cleaner in the restaurant.

The Burlington, MA fire department responded to a chemical reaction in the kitchen of the restaurant. They found a male employee suffering from nausea, he was taken to the hospital and later died. Ten other people, including employee and patrons went to the hospital and complained of difficulty breathing and burning eyes.

The chemical was identified as sodium hypochlorite, a cleaner.

“The gentleman that passed away was an employee of Buffalo Wild Wings, who attempted to squeegee the product out of the building when he was overcome,” Assistant Burlington Fire Chief Michael Patterson told reporters.

There was no threat to public safety and a spokesperson for Buffalo Wild Wings said they are working closely with the franchisee and authorities while they investigate.

Read more here.

 

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