3/4/07
Health Dept. shuts Pizza Huts in sweep after vile rat video
By DOUG AUER STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Roaches, mice, improper food storage and other unsanitary conditions in two Staten Island Pizza Hut restaurants have led the city Health Department to temporarily shut down the eateries.
"I feel like I've eaten a lot of mouse doodoo," said grossed-out Jill Kaja, 25, of New Dorp, as she and a friend pulled up last night to Pizza Hut at 2720 Hylan Blvd., also New Dorp, to find the lights off and bright yellow Health Department stickers slapped on the restaurant's two entry doors.
The major violations were "mouse infestation (and) conditions conducive to rodents (holes in floor and ceiling)," according to information released by the Health Department.
The Island crackdown followed a now-notorious incident last week at a KFC/Taco Bell in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, when TV news crews peering through the windows recorded about a dozen rats skittering across the floors and climbing on tables and countertops.
The restaurant wasn't open at the time, and officials later said construction in the basement might have stirred up the rodents.
But the video, still circulating on the Internet, brought shame on the city for giving a passing grade to the restaurant during a health inspection one day earlier.
Pizza Hut's other Island locale, at 2491 Victory Blvd., was closed due to "general unsanitary conditions, no food protection certificate holder present, foods out of temperature, conditions conducive to rodents (holes in ceiling, grease) evidence of roaches (and) minimal rodent droppings," the Health Department stated.
Four bright yellow stickers were prominently placed on the Willowbrook eatery's front-facing windows.
The news came as no surprise to Ed Rinkiewicz, 40, who said the pizza he bought there three to four weeks ago was undercooked and prepared by someone not wearing gloves.
"There's too many good pizza places on Staten Island to go to Pizza Hut anyway," said the Willowbrook resident.
Complete News
¶ 3:34 AM
By DOUG AUER STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Roaches, mice, improper food storage and other unsanitary conditions in two Staten Island Pizza Hut restaurants have led the city Health Department to temporarily shut down the eateries.
"I feel like I've eaten a lot of mouse doodoo," said grossed-out Jill Kaja, 25, of New Dorp, as she and a friend pulled up last night to Pizza Hut at 2720 Hylan Blvd., also New Dorp, to find the lights off and bright yellow Health Department stickers slapped on the restaurant's two entry doors.
The major violations were "mouse infestation (and) conditions conducive to rodents (holes in floor and ceiling)," according to information released by the Health Department.
The Island crackdown followed a now-notorious incident last week at a KFC/Taco Bell in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, when TV news crews peering through the windows recorded about a dozen rats skittering across the floors and climbing on tables and countertops.
The restaurant wasn't open at the time, and officials later said construction in the basement might have stirred up the rodents.
But the video, still circulating on the Internet, brought shame on the city for giving a passing grade to the restaurant during a health inspection one day earlier.
Pizza Hut's other Island locale, at 2491 Victory Blvd., was closed due to "general unsanitary conditions, no food protection certificate holder present, foods out of temperature, conditions conducive to rodents (holes in ceiling, grease) evidence of roaches (and) minimal rodent droppings," the Health Department stated.
Four bright yellow stickers were prominently placed on the Willowbrook eatery's front-facing windows.
The news came as no surprise to Ed Rinkiewicz, 40, who said the pizza he bought there three to four weeks ago was undercooked and prepared by someone not wearing gloves.
"There's too many good pizza places on Staten Island to go to Pizza Hut anyway," said the Willowbrook resident.
Complete News
Labels: Pizza Huts
¶ 3:34 AM
