VIDEO GRAPHIC: Hawaii Burger Place closes after the video appears to show rat cooking

A hamburger restaurant in Honolulu was forced to close temporarily after two employees posted a video showing them apparently cooking a rat on the grill.

Teddy's Bigger Burgers, a hamburger chain based in Hawaii, has announced the closure of one of its premises and the dismissal of its two employees after the broadcast of the video on social media.

"We are horrified by the fact that a former teenage employee is behaving in this way and making such a video on which we are investigating its authenticity," said Richard Stula, president of Teddy's Bigger Burgers.

"We are horrified that a former teenage employee is behaving this way and is making such a video on which we are investigating its authenticity."

– Richard Stula, president of Teddy's Bigger Burgers.

The short clip posted on Snapchat shows two staff members joking as they film what appears to be a rat cooking on a grill. It's unclear when the video was taken.

The company is currently consulting with its lawyers on possible legal action against the employees who filmed the video, Stula said. "We are horrified by the fact that a former employee creates something like this by trying to destroy our reputation regardless of our 20+ years of quality and aloha."

"We are horrified by the fact that a former employee creates something like this by trying to destroy our reputation regardless of our 20+ years of quality and aloha."

– Richard Stula, president of Teddy's Bigger Burgers.

A "complete disinfection" of the site has been launched and all the equipment and utensils of the restaurant will be replaced, the company said.

"We will then send a team of companies to inspect and conduct a thorough audit of the site before allowing its reopening," said the president of the company in his statement.

The state Department of Health must also inspect the restaurant on Friday.

Peter Oshiro, head of the state's environmental protection program, said the burger office is contacting a licensed pest control operator to examine the restaurant for rodents.

"DOH appreciates the corrective and proactive efforts made by the restaurant owner to protect public health," Oshiro said in a statement.

Last year, the restaurant received a passing sign after an inspection.

Associated Press contributed to this report.