Moscow Mass Poisoning Leaves Three Dead and More than 40 in Hospital as Criminal Investigation is Launched

By SABRINA PENTY, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER

At least three people have died, and 40 were hospitalised following a mass poisoning in a Moscow guesthouse.

A major investigation was launched following the incident in Vidnoye, a suburb of the Russian capital.

Police are understood to have taken food, kitchenware and other samples to try and determine the cause, as fears grow that the death toll could rise.

Authorities have been interviewing the facility’s management and guests to determine the causes and conditions that led to the mass poisoning.

There were 73 people staying in the guesthouse at the time of the mass poisoning, according to local media.

The Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Moscow Region said in a statement: ‘Investigative actions are underway in the Moscow Region as part of a criminal investigation into the poisoning of boarding house guests.

‘It was established that 73 people were staying at the boarding house. More than 40 people were hospitalized in varying degrees of severity, and three died.

‘Investigators and forensic experts from the regional Investigative Committee of Russia inspected the boarding house, seized necessary documentation, and collected food samples and utensils.

At least three people have died and 40 were hospitalised following a mass poisoning in a Moscow guesthouse

‘Representatives from Rospotrebnadzor (Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing) collected food samples, which have been assigned for further testing.’

The statement added that investigators are trying to understand the motivation of the crime.

The shocking incident near the Russian capital comes after a little town known as a backpacker paradise in northern Laos came under the spotlight for a mass poisoning case that killed at least six tourists las year.

The victims included an Australian teenager and a British woman after drinking tainted alcohol.

The British government confirmed that the woman – named as 28-year-old lawyer Simone White – had died of suspected methanol poisoning.

An American and two Danish tourists also died.

The victims are believed to have consumed drinks tainted with methanol, which is sometimes added to mixed-drinks at disreputable bars as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, but can cause severe poisoning or death.

Original source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15402039/Moscow-mass-poisoning-three-dead-40-hospital.html