Terrifying moment dancer is engulfed in flames and desperately runs for help at packed restaurant
Shocking footage shows the moment a dancer goes up in flames in a crowded restaurant near Bogotá, Colombia, as the woman panicked and ran for help.
The victim, Laura Villamil, was present on Saturday with several dancers with burning torches in the crowded restaurant Andres Carnes de Res in Chía, Cundinamarca, ten kilometers north of Bogotá.
At that moment, the 28-year-old’s skirt suddenly caught fire and the hysterical performer was enveloped in flames as shocked witnesses looked on.
Laura ran to another part of the restaurant, where an employee put out the flames with an outfit and a blanket.
She suffered burns over 80 percent of her body and is in critical condition, her brother Santiago Villamil said. News Caracol.
Laura Villamil suffered burns over 80 percent of her body after her skirt caught fire while performing at a restaurant near Bogotá, Colombia
The 28-year-old’s skirt suddenly caught fire, engulfing her in flames as shocked witnesses looked on
Laura was rushed to a local medical facility and then transferred to the Santa Fé Foundation clinic in Bogotá, where she is fighting for her life, her brother said.
“She has a tracheostomy and is on a ventilator. Doctors have treated her wounds and done everything necessary,” Santiago Villamil said.
“The prognosis is cautious and any improvement is minimal. We will wait and see how she develops after the procedures.”
On Monday, Laura’s condition deteriorated to the point that the family thought she would die.
“It’s a miracle she’s alive. Three days ago we had an episode where her vitals dropped and she was practically dead,” her brother said.
She suffered burns over 80 percent of her body and is in critical condition, her brother said
Laura Villamil suffered first and second degree burns, her brother said. Most of her burns were to her genitals and back
Villamil, who is also an actress, has reportedly been working at the restaurant for five years.
In a statement, Andres Carnes de Res expressed his support for Laura and her family and addressed the restaurant’s response to the incident.
“From the moment this unfortunate incident occurred, all established safety and care protocols were immediately and effectively activated, allowing her to be transferred to a first-class medical center as quickly as possible,” the restaurant said.
‘The company’s management was present at the hospital, accompanied the employee’s family, monitored her medical progress and reiterated its commitment to support.’
Villamil has been working in the restaurant for five years
The mayor of the Colombian city of Chía said an initial report showed the fire was the result of “an occupational hazard”
Andres Carnes de Res said the fire show has been suspended while the restaurant assesses safety conditions.
Chía Mayor Leonardo Donoso said in a statement that the results of an initial inspection indicate that the accident was the result of “an occupational hazard” and that the Workers’ Compensation Commission “will be responsible for pointing out the omissions that were made.”
“Just as it was an artist, which should not have happened, it could have happened to the kitchen staff, in the parking lot,” Donoso said. “The question is whether this type of activity with fire, like the one that caused the event, should have been allowed to happen.
“The staff responsible for risk management and a multidisciplinary team have carried out the relevant checks, checking fire extinguishers, emergency exits, emergency plans, evacuation lines and everything related to it. Even their care brigade and a contract with a group that provides care in the event of a medical emergency,” the mayor said.