Laos Hostel Staff Arrested Amid Methanol Poisoning Scare
Police in Laos have detained the manager and seven staff members of a backpacker hostel in Vang Vieng after six tourists died from suspected methanol poisoning. The victims included citizens from Denmark, the US, the UK, and Australia. The detained individuals are reportedly Vietnamese nationals. Methanol, a toxic alcohol sometimes added to liquor to increase potency, is suspected to be the cause. The Laos government has expressed condolences and is investigating the incident.