An American tourist, along with four others, tragically lost their lives after consuming methanol-contaminated alcohol at a hostel in Laos. The victims also included two Danish women in their twenties, a 28-year-old British lawyer named Simone White, and a 19-year-old Australian student, Bianca Jones. The identity of the American victim has not been disclosed, but the US State Department has confirmed the death.
Another Australian woman, 19-year-old Holly Bowles, who was a classmate of Jones, is currently on life support. At least six other individuals are also receiving medical treatment in the hospital. Most of the victims were guests at the Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vien, where they reportedly consumed shots of alcohol before heading out on the evening of November 12.
Methanol is occasionally used illicitly as a low-cost alternative to ethanol, the compound typically found in alcoholic beverages. This practice is more common in regions like Southeast Asia, where the taxes on ethanol are higher. Even a small amount of methanol, as little as .85 ounces, can be lethal, causing blindness, seizures, and asphyxiation. In Jones’ case, her death was attributed to brain swelling due to high levels of methanol in her system, as reported by officials at the Thai hospital where she and the other victims were treated.
The hostel where most of the victims were staying reportedly offered free vodka shots to over 100 guests on the night of the incident. However, the hostel’s manager, Duong Duc Toan, maintains that the alcohol served was safe and had been cleared by investigators. He stated that the police had inspected the hostel and the shops where they purchased the vodka and whiskey. Toan insisted that they had done nothing wrong and that he takes the safety of his customers very seriously. He also mentioned that local authorities have advised all hotels and bars in the town to cease serving alcohol while the investigation is ongoing.
Methanol poisoning is not a new phenomenon and has been known to cause multiple fatalities. In 2020, 44 people in Iran died after mistakenly believing that consuming counterfeit alcohol would protect them from Covid-19. Similarly, in 2019, at least 25 people lost their lives in Costa Rica after consuming tainted alcohol at ten different establishments.