DUBAI // The shirts of Egyptian HA, 27, a financial manager, and LE, 23, a British air hostess, caught fire and the flames spread to their skin.
"I was stunned to see my hand on fire and thought it was caused by someone's cigarette...but in seconds the fire spread to my upper body," recalled the Egyptian."I tried to take off my shirt, but couldn't...then a man managed to rip it off."
Both were taken to Rashid Hospital along with a French tourist, ML, 40, who was also badly burnt.
The Briton suffered burns to her face, neck, chest and upper limbs and required cosmetic surgery.
Both barmen denied a charge of mistakenly posing a risk to the safety of their customers at the Misdemeanours Court. Each blamed the other for adding too much rum to the bottle that exploded.
The Czech barman said he had just finished his show when he heard screaming. "In seconds the fire spread to a number of customers," he added.
A verdict is expected on March 20.
