The Jakarta Post, Monday, September 03 2012
Two people have died while 39 others were seriously intoxicated after drinking hazardous chemical substances mixed with arak, a traditional distilled liquor.
The 41 victims, from a village near Kintamani in Bangli, were rushed to Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar for immediate medical attention, but two of them — I Wayan Mudra (37) and I Wayan Sujana (47), died upon arrival at the hospital.
Dr. Kadek Nariantha, the hospital’s spokesperson, told Bali Daily on Sunday that nine of the victims still had to receive kidney dialysis to cleanse the toxin, presumably methanol, from their blood and to save their kidneys.
The doctor explained that the hospital had received 41 patients from the village on Sunday.
“Two people died here while undergoing treatment and 29 others have already been discharged. The remaining nine patients must receive detoxification treatment,” the doctor explained.
On Friday, a resident of the village, I Wayan Ristana (23), died from drinking contaminated arak.
The incident occurred last Thursday, one day after Galungan, when the local people, youngsters in particular, usually hold a party or bazaar to celebrate the holiday. Arak and other alcoholic beverages are always high on the menu.
Residents from Katung village held a “wild party” consuming arak oplosan, which is arak mixed with dangerous substances, primarily methanol, which was the culprit behind the slew of poisonings.
Methanol, locally known as spiritus, is a clear blue liquid used by the Balinese in rural areas to light lanterns.
Mixing arak with other substances to drastically increase its potency has become widespread practice among the island’s youths.
The resulting arak oplosan provides the youths with a faster way to get drunk, and is a much cheaper alternative to beer and imported liquor.
ma 3 sep 2012 - 20:48