Union Jack's Temporarily Closed Due to 'Imminent Health Risk'

Union Jack's of Ballston, 671 N. Glebe Road, has been temporary closed by Arlington County's Public Health Division.

The restaurant, which is located on the first level of Ballston Common Mall, was closed by a food inspector on Monday "due to an imminent health risk," according to an email from Michael Peter with the county's Department of Human Services.

The county received a report, which was later verified, that Union Jack's had no hot water in the restaurant, Peter stated.

"With no hot water, there is no way to properly clean and sanitize utensils and dishes. In addition, with no hot water, employees are less likely to wash their hands properly as they engage in food preparation," Peter told Patch in an email Tuesday.

That's important because when people who prepare food with their hands are less able or likely to wash their hands, the risk of spreading germs increases, said Reuben Varghese, the health director for Arlington County. Such contamination could lead to diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration or something more severe in children or the elderly.

"We don't want someone to move on to an illness because of the spread of germs," Varghese told Patch. "And so the risk is higher when you're not going to take the proper precautions. It's not to say something has happened; it's to prevent something from happening once we're aware of it."

He added: "Things happen in the lifespan of a restaurant. So it's not surprising that equipment may break down."

Restaurants are not fined when they are temporarily closed, Varghese said.

The food inspector left instructions for restaurant management to contact her once the establishment had hot water again. At that point, the inspector would immediately go to confirm the claim and then lift the temporary closure, according to Peter.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the inspector had not been contacted.

A message left at the restaurant was not immediately returned Tuesday.