A Darwen woman suffered second degree burns across 20 per cent of her skin following a horrific workplace accident.

Tarach Khuhkongji, known as Mita, 49, was working as a cook in the kitchen at the Herbert Parkinson factory in Darwen on the morning of Tuesday, August 15, when she suffered the burns.

Herbert Parkinson is part of the John Lewis Partnership and creates furnishings, duvets, pillows, curtains, and cushions.

After suffering the burns, it was said Mita was put in a taxi home rather than in an ambulance, and when her partner phoned the NHS on 111, they were told to go straight to hospital.

John Lewis said it takes safety seriously and Mita was offered "full support" through the company's wellbeing service.

Mita’s partner, Andrew Burns, slammed the way the issue was dealt with by the company.

He said: “The ovens she usually uses, which are down at her level - her only being 5ft tall - were full of breakfast food, so she was forced to use an oven that was directly above that one.

“They’re both brand new steam ovens and she was forced to use the very top shelf of that top oven, which is higher than her. She can reach into it but she can’t see into it.

“She was tasked with making some pies for the dinner and she put a tray in there to cook.

"This tray didn’t have holes in the bottom of it so when they were being steamed the tray filled up with steam-hot boiling water.

“Partway through the process she had to go back and have a look at them. She opened the door, grabbed the tray and it was full to the brim with boiling water, which just went all over her.

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“It caught her on the chin, went down inside her clothing and gave her major burns.”

Andrew said the process should have been that Mita was taken to a shower room with a female colleague and cold water put on the burns while an ambulance was called.

However, he said instead a taxi was called for Mita which took her home.

Once there, she rushed inside and applied cold water to the burns while Andrew phoned 111, who he said told them to go straight to Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Andrew continued: “They put gel packs on her, they dosed her up with morphine, but it just wasn’t enough – the pain was so immense. It was horrific to see.

“It’s absolutely disgusting the way she was bundled into a taxi when she should have gone to the hospital.

“She is the nicest person you’d ever want to meet. So nice and happy and smiley, and for this to happen to her is an absolute travesty.”

A spokesperson for John Lewis Partnership said: “We take safety very seriously and have offered our Partner our full support via our Partner Wellbeing Service, which offers confidential, emotional, practical, and financial support for all Partners.

“Unfortunately, we’re unable to comment further on this specific case given we’re unable to discuss individuals without their consent.”