The Pärnu methanol poisoning incident (Estonian: Pärnu metanoolitragöödia) was a methanol poisoning incident in Pärnu county, Estonia in September 2001, caused by consumption of counterfeit vodka which had mistakenly been made with toxic methanol instead of ordinary ethanol.[1][2] It led to the death of 68 people, very severe disability (including blindness or brain damage) to 40 people, and severe disability to 3 people.[3]
On the night of 6 September 2001, ten 200-litre canisters of methanol, totalling 1.6 tonnes, were stolen from Baltfett (a company processing industrial fats, esters and animal feed) by Deniss Pletškin, a former employee and Robert Petrov, a current employee, on order of Sergei Maistrišin. To cover up the theft, Petrov later replaced the stolen canisters with empty ones. Maistrišin proceeded to sell the stolen methanol to Aleksandr Sobolev, a known smuggler, for 76,000 krooni, claiming that it was technical spirit (i.e., laboratory-gradeneutral spirit). Sobolev mixed the liquid with water and lemon flavouring agents at about 30% by volume, bottled the resulting liquid, attached fake labels of various well-known vodka brands, and distributed it through an underground network. Beginning on 9 September, hundreds of people consumed the resulting product and suffered methanol poisoning.
Maistrišin was convicted and sentenced to five years of imprisonment, and Sobolev was sentenced to 2.5 years of imprisonment. Six other accomplices were given brief custodial sentences; about a dozen were sentenced to time served. The unexpectedly lenient sentencing aroused considerable discussion in Estonian public arena, and led to decline in underground alcohol sales.
^Eesti Päevaleht 9 September 2006 10:45: Metanoolitragöödia tõrjus salaviina müüjad 2011-05-26 at the Wayback Machine, edited by Kerttu Kaldoja.
Sourcesedit
Tiiu Põld: Eesti kohtueksperdid ja nende lahendatud lood (Estonian court experts and their stories resolved) (ISBN978-9985-9918-1-7), Tartu 2008, pages 170–184
January 01, 1970
pärnu, methanol, poisoning, incident, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, january, 2022, learn, when, remove, this. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations January 2022 Learn how and when to remove this message The Parnu methanol poisoning incident Estonian Parnu metanoolitragoodia was a methanol poisoning incident in Parnu county Estonia in September 2001 caused by consumption of counterfeit vodka which had mistakenly been made with toxic methanol instead of ordinary ethanol 1 2 It led to the death of 68 people very severe disability including blindness or brain damage to 40 people and severe disability to 3 people 3 On the night of 6 September 2001 ten 200 litre canisters of methanol totalling 1 6 tonnes were stolen from Baltfett a company processing industrial fats esters and animal feed by Deniss Pletskin a former employee and Robert Petrov a current employee on order of Sergei Maistrisin To cover up the theft Petrov later replaced the stolen canisters with empty ones Maistrisin proceeded to sell the stolen methanol to Aleksandr Sobolev a known smuggler for 76 000 krooni claiming that it was technical spirit i e laboratory grade neutral spirit Sobolev mixed the liquid with water and lemon flavouring agents at about 30 by volume bottled the resulting liquid attached fake labels of various well known vodka brands and distributed it through an underground network Beginning on 9 September hundreds of people consumed the resulting product and suffered methanol poisoning Maistrisin was convicted and sentenced to five years of imprisonment and Sobolev was sentenced to 2 5 years of imprisonment Six other accomplices were given brief custodial sentences about a dozen were sentenced to time served The unexpectedly lenient sentencing aroused considerable discussion in Estonian public arena and led to decline in underground alcohol sales References edit SL Ohtuleht 4 March 2008 1999 2008 Opetajate Leht 19 December 2008 Kroonika Eesti Paevaleht 9 September 2006 10 45 Metanoolitragoodia torjus salaviina muujad Archived 2011 05 26 at the Wayback Machine edited by Kerttu Kaldoja Sources editTiiu Pold Eesti kohtueksperdid ja nende lahendatud lood Estonian court experts and their stories resolved ISBN 978 9985 9918 1 7 Tartu 2008 pages 170 184 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Parnu methanol poisoning incident amp oldid 1133205935, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
