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Home / New Zealand

Woman dies after drinking methanol

Alanah Eriksen
By Alanah Eriksen, Alanah May Eriksen
Managing Editor - Live News·NZ Herald·
30 Jan, 2009 03:00 PM2 mins to read

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KEY POINTS:

A woman who died after she was given a cup of methanol by someone she knew, drank enough of the chemical to kill two people.

Police are investigating whether the 22-year-old knew it was a highly toxic substance she was drinking or if she thought it was a
type of home brew.

The woman admitted herself to Tokoroa Hospital last Friday afternoon but was later transferred to the Waikato Hospital after her condition deteriorated.

She died on Monday morning.

Police are not saying where or when the woman consumed the methanol while they investigate and decide whether to lay charges.

Detective Senior Sergeant Todd Pearce of the Taupo CIB told the Weekend Herald police had spoken to "a number of the woman's associates" about the incident but there were still more people interview.

"Did she know that that's what she was drinking? If she did know, it's obviously a matter that she took that chance in consuming that liquid but equally so if she was advised that it was something else then that puts it in a different category.

"If she was misled as to what it was then obviously that is a matter that will be taken further."

The levels in her blood system - which he would not expand on - were at least twice the level of what could prove a fatal dose, Mr Pearce said.

He warned people about the potential consequences of not properly identifying what they are drinking.

"It was a situation we felt we did need to bring to the public's attention because people do, unfortunately, drink all sorts of solvent things and this is what can happen."

Methanol, also referred to as methyl alcohol, is an organic alcohol used in various substances such as fuel, plastic, wood adhesives and dyes.

The woman's family have asked that she not be named while police investigate.

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