Clerk Falls Into Vat, Burned in Robbery

An East Los Angeles doughnut shop employee suffered serious burns Saturday after falling into a vat of frying oil while trying to thwart a robbery, authorities said.

Vichan Tanyawat, 30, suffered second- and third-degree burns to his face, arm and a hand, Sheriff’s Deputy Van Mosley said. He was in stable condition at County-USC Medical Center.

Tanyawat had tried to stop the robbery by flinging a cup of boiling oil at two men who walked into the Sun Doughnut shop in the 3400 block of Brooklyn Avenue and demanded money, Mosley said. One of the robbers was drenched by the scalding liquid and Tanyawat tried to run out of the shop but slipped on the slick oil and fell into the oil vat, Mosley said.

The robbers, who were armed with a large pipe, sped off, taking $40 from the cash register.