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Killer vodka kills 11
02/01/2008 08:32 - (SA)
Ulan Bator, Mongolia - Eleven New Year revellers in Mongolia died and dozens more fell seriously ill after drinking vodka that contained industrial alcohol, authorities said on Wednesday.
The incident has led to a temporary ban on selling vodka - the nation's favourite alcoholic drink - in the capital Ulan Bator, where the tainted liquor was purchased, city mayor Tudev Bilegt said.
The eleven people died shortly after drinking the vodka on New Year's Eve, while at least 35 other people were taken to hospital suffering from poisoning, the National Emergency Management Agency said.
Two of the patients were in critical condition on Wednesday, according to officials at the Central Military Hospital, where the most seriously poisoned were taken.
Same party
Authorities did not give details as to who the victims were, but television reports said many of them were at the same New Year's party.
The killer vodka is believed to have come from one company, which produces eight different brands, according to the government's inspection agency. The agency warned all Mongolians to avoid buying those labels.
The inspection agency said the company mixed an industrial alcohol into the vodka, and that as many as 3 000 litres of the killer product could have been made.
Bilegt said the ban on all vodka would remain in place until an investigation was concluded into how and why the poisoned alcohol was made and got onto the streets.
Local press reports said one man had already been arrested for selling the industrial alcohol to the vodka company, although authorities had not confirmed this.
- AFP
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