An American student suffered second-degree burns to her face and arm after a flaming drink in a Cancun restaurant turned into a fireball.
Marissa Daniel, 26, was enjoying her last night on holiday with friends in Mexico on April 4.
Footage shows staff arrive at their table and pour alcohol on to a flaming tray as a special effect for her friend’s drink.
But Ms Daniel was scorched when the drink exploded in her face as she tried to stop her friend being burned.
She was taken to hospital where she was treated for the burns to her face, left ear and her left arm.
Ms Daniel claims staff didn’t do enough to help her and wants to take legal action against Las de Guanatos in Plaza de Toros.
She said: ‘I went to the restaurant with some friends to celebrate our last night in Mexico.
‘We were only at the restaurant for maybe ten minutes before things went wrong.
Marissa Daniel suffered second-degree burns to her face and arm after a flaming drink in a restaurant turned into a fireball
Footage shows staff arrive at their table and pour alcohol on to a flaming tray as a special effect for her friend’s drink. But the flames appear to catch her dress and Ms Daniel leans in to pat them down
‘I have suffered second-degree burns across the entire left side of my face, left arm, left ear, even lost some of my hair.
‘This was all due to the careless actions of the employees at this establishment who continued to pour alcohol onto a tray that was already completely lit and quite literally exploded in my face and set me on fire.’
Ms Daniel added: ‘I just turned 26 back in December and am no longer on my mother’s insurance.
The drink then explodes and badly burns Marissa, seen falling to the floor, as she tried to protect her friend (left) from the flames
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‘So I currently have no health coverage to pay for all the medical expenses. I am out of work for who knows how long without pay.
‘Thankfully I was able to get my semester extended at my university until mid summer so that I can still hopefully graduate by the end of this year.
‘It’s hard for me to come out in the open about what happened to me because I’m not looking for sympathy.
‘I simply want to expose the establishment that did this to me and try to make this right someway, somehow.
Ms Daniel was taken to hospital where she was treated for the burns to her face – including her left ear – and her left arm
Ms Daniel claims staff didn’t do enough to help her and wants to take legal action against Las de Guanatos restaurant in Plaza de Toros, Cancun, on April 4
‘Because this happened in Mexico I don’t know what real legal help I will be able to get in terms of reparations for the damages caused.
‘So I appreciate any and all help as I recover from this tragic incident.’
Her friend Rosalyn Tapia, from Rockville, Maryland, has set up a Go Fund Me page to cover Ms Daniel’s medical bills. It has so far raised £5,000 of the £18,000 needed.
Talking about the incident, Ms Daniel added: ‘The staff reacted extremely poorly to the situation. They offered me no help or assistance, merely looked at me speechless.
‘I am traumatised to say the least and I’m looking to take legal action.
‘This tragic event should have never happened and could have easily been avoided had these people not been so careless with their actions.
‘This is not okay, it will never be okay. I pray this doesn’t happen to anyone else here. I promise I will not let this go unsettled.’
MailOnline have contact Las de Guanatos for comment.
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