SINGAPORE, July 31 — A food poisoning incident at ByteDance's office at One Raffles Quay reportedly left 60 employees suffering from gastroenteritis yesterday.
Singapore-based media CNA reported that the affected individuals, who had consumed food from the office canteen, experienced symptoms including abdominal pain and vomiting.
The office was reported to have smelled strongly of vomit, reflecting the severity of the situation.
By Tuesday evening, 60 individuals had shown symptoms of gastroenteritis, with 57 of them seeking medical attention at various hospitals, according to a joint statement from Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and the republic's Ministry Of Health (MOH).
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) deployed 17 ambulances to the site, transporting 47 people exhibiting symptoms such as abdominal pain and vomiting to hospitals.
SCDF noted that the 47 had consumed food from the same source before falling ill. The affected were taken to several hospitals, including Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore General Hospital, and Raffles Hospital.
In a statement to employees seen by CNA, ByteDance confirmed it was aware of the situation. The company has since closed the buffet section of the canteen pending the outcome of the investigation.
“We are taking this incident very seriously and are working closely with local authorities and caterers to identify the cause as soon as possible.”
It was reported that ByteDance engages licensed external vendors to cater food for its offices, and that food is not prepared or cooked at its office premises in Singapore.
SCDF received multiple medical assistance calls at 3:15 pm, initially deploying 15 ambulances and taking 30 individuals to hospitals. This number was later revised to 17 ambulances and 41 people.
In a final update, SCDF reported that its personnel and vehicles had returned to their stations and described the situation as under control by 8:15 pm.
A 28-year-old ByteDance employee described the chaos in the canteen, which serves “China-style Chinese food” and is “quite popular among employees”.
The employee said that the new vendor was engaged about two months ago.
“My colleagues felt nauseous about an hour after lunch. Mostly vomiting and diarrhoea. The toilets were all full and there were people lying on the floor. The whole office smelled like vomit.”
The staff member added that the scene was “quite chaotic” as people vomited, with cleaners “rushing around the office cleaning up the mess”.
SFA and MOH emphasised the joint responsibility of food safety, with SFA enforcing regulations and food operators adhering to safety practices. SFA warned it would take enforcement action against any non-compliant operators.
More 160 SCDF academy personnel fell ill with gastroenteritis last week, and investigations into that incident are ongoing.
