Authorities race to find remaining buyers of deadly "homemade vodka" containing methanol as 11 die

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. 23 cases of alcohol poisoning were reported across Armenia from August 31 to September 1, health ministry spokesperson Alina Nikoghosyan said after the report of the fatal incident claiming 11 lives.

17 of the cases happened in the province of Armavir, and 8 of the victims are dead. “All of them consumed homemade vodka bought from the same source,” she said. “The remaining 6 cases happened in Yerevan, three of which had a fatal outcome. All victims consumed medical alcohol,” Nikoghosyan said.

3 people are currently hospitalized in critical condition, another two are seriously ill. Another two people who have consumed the same alcohol are not displaying any symptoms yet.

Health authorities are currently tracing the circle of consumers who may have potentially used or bought the alcohol.

Meanwhile, authorities said they believe the victims have consumed methanol. A 50-year-old man from the town of Armavir is under arrest on suspicion of selling the deadly drink and the unsold batch of the alcohol is confiscated. However, the investigators said an additional 30 liters of the drink had already been sold and they are racing to identify and notify the buyers who have purchased the potentially fatal drink unbeknownst to themselves.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan