State of emergency declared after toxic bootleg liquor kills 15 in Trans-Baikal village
CHITA. March 18 (Interfax) - A state of emergency has been declared in the village of Krasny Velikan, the Trans-Baikal Territory of Russia, where 15 people died after drinking illegally made liquor and another 30 were hospitalized with alcohol poisoning, village administration head Olga Zimina told Interfax.
"A state of emergency has been introduced. The reason behind the people's poisoning is being established. Alcohol sales have been suspended," she said.
Four children have lost their parents as a result of the incident, Zimina said. The regional governor's press service earlier put the number of such children at seven.
The regional Health Ministry reported earlier that 14 people had died after drinking toxic bootleg liquor in the village. The governor's press service, for its part, put the death toll from the incident at 15 (14 people in the village of Krasny Velikan and one in the village of Sherlovaya Gora).
All sales of beverages containing 16.5% alcohol have been suspended in the Trans-Baikal, Borzinsk, Olovyannaya, Kalgan and Priargunsky districts for one month in order to prevent similar situations.
In addition to that, the Trans-Baikal Territory authorities asked China to step up customs control on the border.
A criminal investigation has been opened and five suspects have been detained.
