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Updated: 12:42 AM EDT April 8, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS The operator of St. Elmo Steak House issued a statement on Wednesday night saying the restaurant is mourning the loss of a long-time valued employee. As a 100+ year old Indianapolis institution, I am proud that St. Elmo Steak House has been my family s business for more than 30 years, Craig Huse, the CEO of Huse Culinary said. And like a family, we are mourning the loss of a long-time, valued employee and genuinely great person, who had a huge heart and a glowing smile.
The employee s death was reported as a COVID-19 workplace fatality to the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Monday. The news followed the popular steak house closing early on Saturday due to nine employees testing positive for coronavirus.
State officials are inquiring about a death of a St. Elmo Steak House worker amid an outbreak of COVID-19 cases at the restaurant.
The restaurant was back serving Monday after multiple employees had tested positive for the coronavirus. Still, many workers opted to quarantine rather than get a required test, hampering the full strength of the state s most renowned restaurant.
The Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration said it is following up on a workplace fatality at St. Elmo.
We did receive a report about a workplace fatality and IOSHA has reached out to get more information, said IOSHA spokesperson Stephanie McFarland.
Why did St. Elmo close?
St. Elmo had been closed until further notice after multiple employees of the downtown Indianapolis restaurant tested positive for coronavirus.
Craig Huse, president of Huse Culinary, issued a statement late Saturday confirming that nine St. Elmo s employees have contracted the virus.
When did St. Elmo close?
The Marion County Public Health Department said St. Elmo on Saturday notified it that the restaurant was voluntarily closing temporarily as a result of multiple employees testing positive for COVID-19.
Current and former employees, who spoke to the IndyStar on the condition that their names would not be used, said the restaurant closed about 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The company sent a media notice about the closing about 11 p.m.
The Marion County Public Health Department believes there was no COVID-19 exposure to patrons who dined recently at St. Elmo Steak House, despite the restaurant s brief closure due to a coronavirus outbreak among employees.
Dr. Virginia Caine, Marion County Health Department director, said Tuesday that she didn t think there was much risk for patrons because they weren t in close contact with employees for extended periods of time.
Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define close contact as being within six feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes, she said.
According to the health department, St. Elmo has the largest known number of cases related to a single outbreak among restaurants or food retail establishments.