Franchisees fined for part in hand dryer death
25 January 2001
The former owners of a McDonald's franchise in Belfast have been ordered to pay £40,000 in fines and costs after a student was electrocuted by a faulty hand dryer.
Ciara McGinley, 22, was celebrating finishing her final examinations with friends at McDonald's in Bradbury Place when she touched a live wire protruding from a vandalised hand dryer.
She died instantly.
The hand dryer had been damaged at least 10 days before the accident, but staff had failed to act on warnings from customers.
Franchise owner Diamond Restaurants was fined £20,000 by Belfast Crown Court last week, in addition to the £20,000 it had already agreed to pay in costs.
The company pleaded guilty to two breaches of health legislation.
