Charity 'Sorry' After Chilli Competition Sees Two Contestants In Hospital

Charity 'Sorry' After Chilli Competition Sees Two In Hospital

A children's charity has said that it was "very sorry" to learn that two people had become ill while trying to raise funds for it.

The pair were taken to hospital after a "world's hottest chilli" competition at an Indian restaurant in Edinburgh.

Emergency services were called to the Kismot restaurant in St Leonards Street on Saturday afternoon after some competitors became "very unwell".

Pippa Johnston, regional fundraising manager for the Children's Hospice Association Scotland (Chas), said: "This event was not organised by Chas and I am very sorry to hear that people who were trying to raise funds for Chas have been made unwell in their efforts."

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: "Two patients were taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after becoming very unwell at Kismot restaurant.

"We would urge the organisers to review the way in which this event is managed in future in order to avoid another situation where emergency ambulances are required to treat their customers."

Competitors tucked into the "Kismot Killer" curry in aid of Chas and it is believed around £1,000 was raised.

One of the entrants, Curie Kim, 21, who came second in the contest, told the BBC that eating the curry felt "like I was being chainsawed in the stomach with hot sauce on the chainsaw".

She said: "I was in so much pain I wasn't aware of what was going on around me and when I got to hospital they gave me medicine for the indigestion. I think there are a lot less painful ways to raise money for charity."

Organiser Abdul Ali told the BBC: "The British Red Cross we had on board could not cope. We put our hands up. We did have to call the emergency services for a couple of our participants."

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