A Sydney restaurant will be investigated by authorities after dozens of dead cockroaches were seen strewn across its floor.
It comes as a pest control expert is warning Australian business owners to stay on top of their pests after La Niña provided the perfect conditions for cockroaches to “thrive”.
Vietnamese eatery Roll In & Out in downtown Surry Hills was closed over the summer break while the owners went on vacation, with plans to reopen the business on January 16.
A woman from the restaurant told Yahoo News that a Mortein insect control bomb was set off while the store was closed, and on Thursday morning dozens of dead cockroaches could be seen all over the floor by the door, window and the service counter. It is unclear how long they lay there.
A spokesperson for the City of Sydney confirmed it would inspect the premises and speak to the owner to ensure the premises are suitable for food service.
“The City of Sydney takes the health and safety of our community very seriously and is contacting the owner of the business to arrange a thorough inspection,” they told Yahoo News Australia.
“We will then work with the business owner to correct any issues identified and ensure the business is in compliance before reopening.”
Business reacts to ‘shocking’ photos
Roll In & Out told Yahoo News that setting off an insect bomb is a pest prevention method they undertake several times a year.
They said they were “shocked” to see how many dead cockroaches were in the store this time and were unaware of such a sight being left for the public to see. The woman emphasized that no food is currently on the premises and the store was cleared on Thursday. She said Roll In & Out takes food safety very seriously and has been meeting food safety standards for years.
The business speculated some of the roaches in the photo had entered the store from the street and other units in the building.
Businesses warned to stay on top of pest control
ABC Pest Control Sydney director Warren Bailey said while a large number of cockroaches inside a premises was obviously not a good sight for the public, he said it was a “good thing” they were dead, indicating that the restaurant has undergone “some”. kind of treatment” to deal with pests.
He said recent weather conditions have created a perfect environment for cockroaches to breed.
“We’ve had the heat, we’ve had the rain and they just thrive on it,” he told Yahoo News Australia.
Mr Bailey said businesses should be aware that such scenarios can occur and be aware of how quickly pests can invade.
“That’s why regular pest control and cleaning is so important,” he said.
“In this case, they may have even completed pest control but didn’t clean up and left it and a passerby became aware of the dead insects.”
Mr Bailey said a common mistake made by hospitality sites was not committing to regular treatment, a decision he said was influenced by how visible the threat was. However, he warns businesses that even if a site appears pest-free, this is not always the case.
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