Report: At Least 48 Dead After Drinking Bath Lotion In Russia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS)—A state of emergency has been declared in the Siberian city of Irkutsk after at least 48 people have died from drinking bath lotion, CBS News reports.
President Vladimir Putin's spokesman described the mass poisoning as a "terrible tragedy," adding that the president was being briefed about the situation.
According to CBS News' Svetlana Berdnikova, the lotions, called Boyaryshnik (Hawthorn), contained deadly methanol.
Berdnikova says residents of the neighborhood, Novo-Lenino, were found to be poisoned.
While the injured and dead appear to be residents of the same area, they were not drinking alcohol together. Officials described the victims as socially disadvantaged people aged 35 to 50, including several women.
The sale of lotions containing alcohol has been on the rise in recent years in Russia as the country's economy has struggled in the face of the sanctions and a slide in oil prices.
The death toll may continue to rise with at least 15 people listed in grave condition.
Hawthorn bath lotion was available at about 100 outlets in Irkutsk. The lotion bottles were marked with warnings that they are not for internal use, CBS News reports.