Siberian mass alcohol poisoning death toll rises

A total of 52 people have died and a further 29 are in hospital in Siberia after drinking a contaminated batch of bath oil known for its high alcohol content.

The Siberian city of Irkutsk

The the mayor of Irkutsk declaring a state of emergency on Monday following the deaths, believed to have been caused by a counterfeit batch of Boyaryshnik – a concentrated liquid sold as a relaxant to add to bathwater, but widely known as a cheap alcohol substitute.

As reported by The Guardian, the ingestion of “surrogate” alcohol, including medical ethanol, window cleaner and perfume, is not uncommon in Russia, with substitutes often cheaper than even the lowest-cost vodka on sale.

Boyaryshnik

Boyaryshnik contains 93% ethanol, hawthorn extract and lemon oils, however this batch was found to also contain methanol, a chemical used in antifreeze.

A temporary ban on the sale of all liquids containing alcohol not designed for consumption has also been imposed throughout Irkutsk, which lies some 2,600 miles east of Moscow.

An underground workshop has since been discovered in the city where bottles of fake Boyaryshnik were being produced. Two people are reported to have been arrested so far.

Alcohol poisonings of this nature are common in countries including India and parts of Asia, where stories of people dying after ingesting contaminated liquor are all too frequent.

In August 12 people died after drinking poisonous alcohol in the northeastern Indian state of Bihar. However this most recent incident, in which 52 people have already died, is one of the worst cases in recent years.