JOHANNESBURG –
The toxic chemical methanol has been identified as a possible cause of the deaths of 21 teenagers in a bar in the South African city of East London last month.
Methanol was found in all of their bodies and investigations are ongoing to determine if the levels of the toxic chemical were sufficient to kill them.
“Methanol was found in all 21 individuals who were there, but there is still ongoing analysis of the quantitative levels of methanol and whether this could be the ultimate cause of death,” Eastern Cape Deputy Provincial Director Dr Lita Mativane clinical service, said at a news conference in East London on Tuesday.
Authorities are still awaiting the final results, which are being conducted at a lab in the city of Cape Town, he said.
Methanol is a toxic form of alcohol that is used industrially as a solvent, pesticide or alternative fuel source. It is not used in the production of alcohol sold for human consumption.
It is not yet known how the youth ingested the methanol.
Alcohol poisoning and carbon monoxide inhalation have been ruled out as possible causes of death, although traces of both were found in the bodies of all 21 victims, Mathewane said.
The teenagers died at the Enyobeni Tavern in the east London town of Scenery Park in the early hours of June 26, shocking the country and prompting several investigations by police and liquor licensing authorities.
Many of the teenagers, aged between 13 and 17, were found dead in the tavern, their bodies strewn across tables and couches. Others died after being rushed to nearby health facilities.
South African police will be guided by the final results of the toxicology analysis to determine whether anyone will face criminal charges in the 21 deaths, National Police Minister Becky Tsele said.
The owner of the Enyobeni Tavern and some employees were arrested and are currently on bail as they face charges related to breaching liquor trade laws, including selling liquor to children.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke at a mass funeral for teenagers and promised his government would take action to prevent alcohol being served to children under the legal drinking age of 18.
The deaths of the youths in the East London bar are separate from the shootings at three bars in South Africa earlier this month, in which a total of 22 people were killed. In all three incidents, the suspects opened fire on visitors before driving off in their cars, and notably the attackers did not rob the victims. In the worst incident, gunmen stormed a bar in the Johannesburg town of Soweto and opened fire, killing 16 people.
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