Walk of Faith: Two dozen visitors to the Swiss lake were treated for burns after walking hot coals. Photo / 123RF
Walk of Faith: Two dozen visitors to the Swiss lake were treated for burns after walking hot coals. Photo / 123RF
Two dozen people were treated for burns at a Swiss resort after a team-building exercise went horribly wrong.
Hot coal walking was reportedly the cause of a disturbance on the scenic Au peninsula on Lake Zurich, on Tuesday 14 June.
According to police report twenty five people were treatedfor burns, with thirteen transported to hospital for further medical attention.
Ten ambulances were summoned to the lakeside resort, shortly after 6pm, to what Zurich Police described as a "private event."
Swiss newspaper Blick reported it was a work event for Austrian marketing firm Goldbach attended by 150 people.
"Participants in the fire did so of their own free will," Iris Blättle, Communications Director with Goldbach told the paper.
The Wine Museum and vineyards on Zurich's Au Halbinsel. Photo / Wikimedia Commons
A memo from Goldbach CEO Michi Frank, seen by Swiss news site Kleinreport.ch was published, saying that the fire walk was a "voluntary team activity" and that the coal fires were prepared for employees to walk on during the corporate function.
The walking over hot coals or the "walk of faith" is an activity that is popular with team building trips but prone to misfortune. It was parodied in an episode of sitcom The Office.
The Au Halbinsel is a scenic lakeside area of Zurich, home to wineries, hotels and a Swiss Wine Museum ('Weinbaumuseum'). It regularly holds events and weddings.
