PHNOM PENH, Jul 4 (NNN-AKP) – Four people died in north-eastern Cambodia’s Ratanakiri province, after consuming rice wine containing high levels of methanol, officials said today.
The incident occurred in a village in Kon Mom district’s Sre Angkrong commune, after the victims, who were workers at a banana plantation, had recently drunk rice wine bought from local grocery stalls, said Ratanakiri provincial governor, Nhem Sam Oeun.
“According to the figure recorded by the Ratanakiri Provincial Health Department, four men were confirmed dead and one had been hospitalised after drinking the tainted wine,” he said.
The governor said, tests found the deaths were caused by high levels of methanol in the wine.
“The test results confirmed that the tainted wine contained methanol levels between 8.21 percent and 18.8 percent, which were much higher than the normal level of 0.15 percent,” Sam Oeun said.
A local rice wine vendor had been questioned over the incident, he said.
Ung Ratana, director of the Ratanakiri Provincial Health Department, confirmed the fatal incident, saying that, the victims had developed symptoms, such as abdominal pain, eye irritation, vomiting, breathing difficulty, dizziness and fatigue.
Rice wine is popular in rural areas of the country due to its cheap price.
Last month, methanol-laced rice wine killed one villager and left 27 others hospitalised, in north-west Pursat province, according to the Pursat Provincial Health Department.– NNN-AKP
