Alligator Walks into North Carolina Bagel Shop

A three-foot alligator walked into Bagel Dock Express in Southport on Thursday through a back door that had been left open.

By Career Ahead AI · North Carolina — AI-assisted, fact-verified against cited sources. Readers should verify key facts.

The alligator crossed the shop from the back room to the front

The three-foot alligator entered Bagel Dock Express in Southport on Thursday through an open back door. The shop’s surveillance footage captured it moving from the back stock room through the kitchen and toward the front. The business shared footage showing the animal’s route through the store, while another account of the incident described the shop’s cameras recording the alligator as it walked in and strolled through the premises.^¹²

The alligator reached the area behind the front counter, where shop owner Jesse Driscoll spotted it and jumped in fear. Driscoll said he had been distracted by the installation of a new oven when the animal came inside. The store was not open at the time. He said, “Never in a million years did I think I’d see an alligator,” describing the unexpected visitor after it had made its way into the shop.^¹²

The business shared footage showing the animal’s route through the store, while another account of the incident described the shop’s cameras recording the alligator as it walked in and strolled through the premises.¹²

Driscoll quickly called 911, and Southport police and Animal Protective Services safely removed the alligator. The animal was also described as being carted away by those agencies. Southport Police Department joked on social media, “Alligator – 1,” alongside photos of the small animal. The response ended with the alligator out of the store, after it had walked through the kitchen and reached the front counter.^¹²

Bagel Dock Express joked on social media that “Apparently, word of our fresh bagels has made its way into the swamp!” The store added: “No injuries, no drama … just one very unusual customer! Fresh bagels. Wild experiences.” The posts described an incident with no injuries and treated the alligator’s visit as an unusual customer encounter.^¹²

Five people suffered burns after margaritas were served in Forest City

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Five people suffered chemical burns after drinking margaritas at a Chili’s Grill & Bar in Forest City, North Carolina. The drinks had been rimmed with a white granulated substance that was mistaken for sugar. The people who fell ill on Wednesday were three customers and two staff members. Megan Rollins, a spokeswoman at Foothills Health District, said the injuries followed contact with a degreaser left in an unlabeled container near the bar.^²³

The chemical was brought into the restaurant early on Oct. 26 by a contractor hired to power wash the building’s exterior. The contractor handed the product to a restaurant employee, who left it by the bar. On Wednesday, another employee preparing the bar before lunch service found it and put some of the substance into containers at the margarita station. The product’s name and brand were not identified.^³

After the restaurant opened, three customers who ordered margaritas reported an instant burning sensation and raised concerns with employees. Two workers sampled the substance and experienced the same symptoms. All five went immediately to local urgent care centers, which alerted emergency management operations for Rutherford County. Jason Masters, the public health director at Foothills Health District, said in an email.^³

The health district closed the restaurant before it reopened

Foothills Health District closed the Chili’s on Wednesday and temporarily suspended its permit. The injuries came after contact with a caustic degreaser, and the substance had been placed in containers at the margarita station. According to the Merck Manual, caustic substances can burn any tissue they touch when swallowed, including the lips, tongue, esophagus and stomach.^³

Two workers sampled the substance and experienced the same symptoms.

The restaurant reopened on Thursday after complying with safety requirements. The temporary closure followed the reports of burning from customers and workers, their visits to urgent care centers and the health district’s response. The product had been left in an unlabeled container near the bar before another employee moved some of it to the margarita station.^³

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Written by Career Ahead AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify key facts. Report errors to support@careeraheadonline.com