At least 41 people have died in the Siberian city of Irkutsk after drinking bath essence, Russian authorities say.
The hawthorn-scented liquid was consumed as if it were alcohol, according to Russia's Investigative Committee.
Investigators said a warning that it should not be swallowed was ignored.
The product, called Boyaryshnik (Hawthorn), was found to contain methanol, a toxin found in antifreeze. A state of emergency has been declared in Irkutsk, and Russia's top investigative agency opened an enquiry into the incident.
Household products are seen by some as a cheap alternative to alcohol across the former Soviet Union. Analysts say up to 12 million Russians drink cheap surrogate alcohol.
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A local official told Tass news agency that the liquid came in bottles whose labels said the content was 93% spirit.
They can't afford vodka. It's not a secret that quite a lot of Russians, especially in the provinces, drink anything that contains alcohol. From bath lotions, to antifreeze, to cheap cologne, etc.
They can't afford vodka. It's not a secret that quite a lot of Russians, especially in the provinces, drink anything that contains alcohol. From bath lotions, to antifreeze, to cheap cologne, etc.
Damn. I would probably hate gay people too if I couldn't afford vodka. We gotta help them out somehow. That's just unacceptable
