11 ill after cake at Nala Sopara birthday party, children in ICU

Eleven people, including seven children and four women, suffered food poisoning on Saturday after eating a cake at a birthday celebration in Nala Sopara, police said. Three children are undergoing treatment in the ICU at a municipal hospital. A 25-year-old woman was celebrating her birthday in the Takipada area when some neighbourhood children arrived with a cake around 6 pm.

Shortly after eating the cake, the children experienced a burning sensation in their chests and began vomiting, police said. They were admitted to Vijayalakshmi Hospital. The children claimed they found a dead lizard in the cake. Tulinj police seized samples of the cake for testing; the exact cause will be clarified after analysis.

Ajeev Patil, mayor of the Vasai-Virar region, said the investigation is ongoing and the Food and Drug Administration department has been alerted to survey the bakery from where the cake was purchased. Dr Vidya Sawant said all affected are undergoing treatment and their condition is stable.