Blame the Chorizo for Firefly's Salmonella Outbreak; 294 Now Report Illness

Now comes word that the Southern Nevada Health District found the source of the salmonella outbreak at Firefly Tapas Kitchen & Bar that shuttered the restaurant on April 26. SNHD reports that chorizo tested positive for salmonella. That was just one of 21 foods tested by the health district.

TV station 8 News Now reports that now 290 diners and four employees were identified as "confirmed or probable cases of salmonella."

"Health district officials say trace-back efforts have been redirected at the chorizo products because of a small possibility that raw chorizo was contaminated prior to arriving at the restaurant," 8 News Now reports.

SNHD shut down the restaurant on Paradise Road on April 26 after complaints of food borne illnesses were reported. An inspection found 44 demerits, three more than necessary to shut the restaurant. All cases of salmonella were reported between April 21 and April 26. To date, the restaurant remains closed, although owner John Simmons says he is opening at the new location at 3824 Paradise Road by the end of the month.

Through a new public relations firm, Simmons, the owner of the Firefly restaurants, released a statement:

We appreciate the Southern Nevada Health District's thorough review and swift conclusion to this matter. From day one, our concern has always been doing everything we could for those affected and doing everything we could to use this time to make Firefly the safest place to eat in southern Nevada. While we are anxious to have the final report and a better idea of what may have happened, for me, it was never about the source – it was about making sure I did everything in my power to prevent this from happening again.

It has been a team effort. We're a family business and we consider our 300 employees and our guests as extended family – and we want only the best for them. Everyone has worked super hard over these last weeks to ensure we have the tightest, safest restaurants possible.

We've hired a food safety consultant with over 30 years of experience to double and triple check our methods and we'll operate in the mode of continuous improvement, constantly upgrading our practices with new technology, new methods, and additional training.

We look forward to a fresth start at our new facility on Paradise Road and thank everyone for their patience and understanding during this difficult time.