Johannesburg — Last month, the toxic chemical methanol was identified as the cause of the deaths of 21 teenagers in a bar in East London, South Africa.
Methanol has been found in all of their bodies and investigations are ongoing to determine if levels of toxic chemicals were sufficient to kill them.
“Methanol was detected in all 21 people there, but there is still a progressive analysis of the quantitative levels of methanol and whether it was the ultimate cause of death,” said Eastern Cape. Dr. Litha Matiwane, Deputy Director of the State, said. At a press conference in East London on Tuesday, clinical services said.
Authorities are still waiting for the decisive results taking place at the Cape Town Institute, he said.
Methanol is a toxic form of alcohol used industrially as a solvent, pesticide, or alternative fuel source. It is not used to make alcohol that is sold for human consumption.
It is not yet known how young people ingested methanol.
According to Matiwane, traces of both were found in the bodies of all 21 victims, but both alcohol poisoning and carbon monoxide inhalation were ruled out as possible causes of death.
A teenager died early on June 26 at the Anyobeni tavern in Scenery Park Township, East London, shocking the country and causing several investigations by police and liquor license authorities.
Many teens between the ages of 13 and 17 were found dead in taverns, and their bodies were scattered on tables and sofas. Others died after being rushed to a nearby medical facility.
South African police will determine whether 21 dead will be criminally liable based on the final results of the toxicological analysis, said National Police Minister Bheki Cele.
The owner of the pub and some employees have been arrested and currently on bail on charges related to violations of the Liquor Trading Act, including the sale of liquor to children.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks at a large funeral for teens and acts to prevent his government from providing alcohol to children under the age of 18 who are legally drunk. I vowed to take.
The death of a young man at a bar in East London is separate from the shootings at three bars that killed a total of 22 people in South Africa earlier this month. In all three cases, the suspect fired at patrons before slowing down in the car, and the attackers in particular did not take the victims. In the worst case, a shooter rushed into a bar in Soweto Township, Johannesburg, fired and killed 16 people.
By Mogomotsi Magome
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