IRKUTSK, Russia, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Russia's Investigative Committee on Monday said at least 25 people died after drinking bath essence that contained toxic methyl alcohol in the Siberian city of Irkutsk.
The Investigative Committee's Irkutsk Region Office launched an investigation into the incident in which two people -- identified as "dealers" -- were arrested. The Committee said residents of a micro-district in Irkutsk's Leninsky District bought a hawthorn-scented concentrate used to dissolve in water for taking a bath, which had a warning on the bottle that it was not intended for consumption.
"Despite the warning, the residents drank it as liqueur, but it had concentrated methyl alcohol, instead of ethyl alcohol," the Committee said in a statement.
After the incident, police launched an investigation and accounted for dozens of trade violations in markets where the deadly product was bought, the Committee said. Officials have found more than 100 locations that sell alcohol -- seizing over 528 gallons of alcohol. More than 500 gallons of the hawthorn-scented concentrate was confiscated.
The Committee said 42 people were hospitalized due to the incident.
"The investigators are questioning the survivors who are stable now," the Committee added. "Necessary forensic medical and chemical examinations have been assigned, witnesses are being questioned and other investigative operations are underway to find out all the circumstances surrounding the crime."
