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The diner, identified only as T, said the accident happened on July 30 after restaurant staff replaced a malfunctioning induction cooker with a portable butane stove.

She recalled hearing two popping sounds from the stove within minutes of the replacement. Although the flame remained on and there was no unusual smell, a staff member came over to inspect the appliance and was about to change it when it suddenly exploded on the table, according to The Standard.

“The gas canister shot out, sending everything flying,” T said. “Then I touched my shoulder and realized a tiny fragment had flown toward my eye. I thought, ‘ If I hadn’t dodged, I might have lost my sight.”

T also alleged that restaurant employees cleared away key items before police and firefighters could inspect them.

She said she heard officers ask the manager for the stove and gas canister, only to be told that both had already been discarded as rubbish.

T said the restaurant offered little help immediately after the blast. Staff gave her only napkins to clean herself and later asked her to provide a dry-cleaning receipt if she wanted reimbursement.

She said the company became more attentive only after the case attracted public attention, but its follow-up left her frustrated.

Restaurant representatives repeatedly phoned her during working hours even though she had told them she was available only after 5 p.m. Because she wanted a written record of all communication, she declined to discuss the matter over the phone.

When she returned the calls after work, she said no one responded until after the weekend. She was then informed that the case had been passed to the company’s insurer.

T said the incident has left her unable to sleep and with trembling hands. She is calling on Tao Heung to issue an apology and take responsibility for what happened.

Tao Heung said the matter had been referred to the relevant department for further handling.