60 staff at TikTok’s HQs hospitalized after mass food poisoning

About 60 employees at TikTok’s Singapore headquarters have been affected by a mass food poisoning incident, with 57 individuals hospitalized.

The incident led to the deployment of 17 ambulances to transport those affected to local hospitals.

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has launched an internal investigation into the incident.

A spokesperson for ByteDance stated, “We take the health and safety of our employees very seriously and have taken immediate steps to support all affected employees. We are investigating the matter and are working with the relevant authorities.”

Initially reported to involve 41 people, the number of those affected has since been revised to 60.

As a precaution, ByteDance has closed the office buffet and is working closely with local authorities and caterers to determine the cause of the food poisoning.

The Singapore Food Agency and the Ministry of Health are also investigating the incident.

In a joint statement, the agencies emphasized that “food safety is a joint responsibility,” noting that while the SFA enforces regulatory measures, food operators must adhere to good food safety practices.

The Straits Times reported that some staff were unaware of the severity of the situation, with one employee initially mistaking it for a potential fire.

This incident follows another significant food poisoning case in Singapore earlier in the week, where 165 Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) personnel fell ill, though none required hospitalization.