Filthy Soda Machine Forces Closure of Fort Meade Burger King

The Burger King at Fort Meade was temporarily closed this week following the discovery of insects and maggots inside a soda dispenser.

Workers at the restaurant discovered the infestation Saturday after investigating a malfunction of the machine, which was located in the area of the restaurant that served the drive-thru window. 

Leaks in an internal hose and the electrical area of the machine attracted insects and other contamination, according to a spokesman for the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, which owns the Burger King franchise. 

"The machine was immediately cleaned and the restaurant was closed to allow for a more thorough cleaning and disinfecting," said the spokesman, Lt. Col. Thomas Shrader. 

The restaurant opened Thursday at 6 p.m. following a second inspection from public health and food experts from Fort Meade. 

Fort Meade officials said a plastic barrier which kept soda from dripping into the infested area cracked, allowing soda to drip into an area that became infested. The leaks may have been going on for 7-10 days. 

Images of the infestation were posted on the business review site Yelp, showing mold and maggots.

"The decision to close the Burger King on Fort Meade was not done because conditions posed an immediate health risk, but because we wanted to give the staff the opportunity to conduct a top to bottom cleaning to ensure they were able to correct the problems that existed," Installation Commander Col. Edward Rothstein said in a statement.

Inspectors from Fort Meade also checked other restaurants on the installation, and AAFES required that panels on all soda machines be checked. 

"The health and safety of those who live and work on Fort Meade as well as visitors to the installation is of upmost importance to me and my staff," Rothstein said, "We will continue to monitor this situation and I will do what I can to ensure that this faculty  and all other eating establishments on post adhere to safety standards for food handling."