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Nov 13, 2009 5:45 pm US/Eastern
Restaurant Investigation Uncovers Cause For Worry
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
Most restaurants in Allegheny County get better than passing grades from the health department; but others can literally make you sick -- with roaches, rats, flies and filth.
Across Pennsylvania, the State Agriculture Department inspects restaurants; but in Allegheny County, the health department is responsible for those inspections.
During a recent KDKA Investigation into the safety of local restaurants, their inspectors and our hidden cameras came up with results that may be reason for concern.
The man in charge of health in Allegheny County says beware when it comes to trusting the food when you go out to eat.
"Many of the people who go to emergency rooms with stomach upsets, with involvement of their intestinal tract probably have a food-related illness," said Dr. Bruce Dixon, of the Allegheny County Health Department.
The
Health Department's website lists local food operations where inspectors found violations that are a recipe for serious indigestion including roaches, rodents, moldy and rotting food and more.
The list includes a caterer, a convenience store, two markets, and a restaurant in the food court at Monroeville Mall.
But the most cited food operation in Allegheny County this year was the Oriental Wok in Lawrenceville.
The Health Department flagged them three times, and even forced them to close at one point.
"That inspection was conducted on July 21st," said Steve Steingart, of the Allegheny County Health Department.
Inspectors found the establishment had a big problem with roaches, and there were even live rats in the kitchen.
The Oriental Wok was allowed to reopen after finally passing another inspection.
But did they really clean up their act? KDKA's Paul Martino took a hidden camera inside; and it didn't take long to find a problem -- a dead roach in the restroom.
Martino: "You've had problems with rats here, roaches right? Flies.
Oriental Wok Manager Lin Fei: "We fixed all the problems."
Martino: "Are they fixed?"
Fei: "Yeah."
Martino: "Can we take a picture of your kitchen?"
Fei allowed KDKA into his kitchen with a camera. The hole where inspectors saw rats was sealed up, but other problems were spotted including flies circling a vat of raw chicken sitting on the floor.
After it was pointed out to the manager, he had the chicken thrown away.
Martino: "Flies are flying around it back there.
Fei: "We are going to throw away. Make it safe, you know."
When the county was informed of the discovery, they returned to the Oriental Wok. A KDKA camera was allowed to follow inspectors on the visit and they didn't like what they found.
"They still have some roach issues; some fly problems; some temperature problems in various coolers and some cross-contamination issues," said Steingart.
So, Allegheny County's green seal of approval was stripped off the door. In its place went up a yellow sticker -- meaning a consumer alert -- warning diners that the place has critical health code violations.
But the Oriental Wok is not the only ones with issues.
In Penn Hills, the Our Family Soul Food Restaurant had a severe roach infestation. They were supposed to have it cleared it up, but it didn't take our hidden camera too long to find a roach.
Health inspectors say they are doing more complete inspections.
Meanwhile, Dr. Dixon admits it's better than two years ago when the Health Department came under fire because they only performed about 65 percent of the annual food facility inspections.
This year, they say they are on a pace to complete 90 percent of the inspections.
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