Once again, Chipotle Mexican Grill is dealing with food illness issues. One location of the Mexican chain in Powell, Ohio, temporarily closed on Monday after multiple customers reported getting sick following their meals.
Nine customers filed reports on Sunday and Monday with the website iwaspoisoned.com and the local health department said they received reports of illness from seven customers during that same time. When health officials visited the location, they found that Chipotle had already closed the store.
"We take all claims of food safety very seriously and we are currently looking into a few reports of illness at our Powell, Ohio restaurant," Chipotle spokeswoman Laurie Schalow told Business Insider. "We are not aware of any confirmed foodborne illness cases, and we are cooperating with the local health department."
Following news stories about the store's closing, additional customers have filed reports on the food poisoning website, bringing the total numbers of customer reports up to over 150. Many customers gave detailed reports of symptoms including vomiting, nausea, and fever.
Employees at this Chipotle store, located at 9733 Sawmill Parkway, may also have been affected; the company reports that two to five of their workers called in sick on Sunday and Monday.
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Local health officials conducted a regular inspection at the Ohio Chipotle location on July 26 and found that some of the food was not being held at the correct temperatures. Lettuce was not being properly cooled, while the beans were not warm enough. The inspectors noted that they would return for a follow-up inspection in three weeks.
The local health department has confirmed that they are investigating the Chipotle illness reports, but have not commented more on the store's closing. The restaurant chain planned to reopen the store on Tuesday with the approval of local officials.
This latest round of Chipotle illness has caused the company's stock to fall; as of Tuesday morning, Chipotle's stock has dropped nearly eight percent.
