LN: Methanol may trace to Polish antifreeze

Prague, Sept 17 (CTK) - The poisonous methanol that has been killing people in the Czech Republic these days may come from Polish antifreeze mixtures, according to the police, the daily Lidove noviny (LN) reports yesterday.

However, this is just one of the investigation versions, it adds.

Bootleg liquor containing methanol has already claimed 20 lives in the Czech Republic. Another 38 people are hospitalised with symptoms of methanol poisoning.

In reaction to the number of methanol-poisoning cases, the Czech Health Ministry indefinitely banned the sales and serving of spirits containing more than 20 percent of alcohol across the country as from Friday evening.

Methanol, which appeared in alcoholic drinks in the Czech Republic, may have been made of antifreeze mixtures for windscreen washers from Poland, LN writes.

"This is one of the alternatives," Vaclav Kucera, chief of the special police team codenamed Methyl to look into the methanol- poisoning cases, told LN.

He, however, refused to elaborate not to threaten the ongoing investigation.

"It is one of the versions. But until it is not the only one, the investigation continues," deputy interior minister Jaroslav Hruska told the paper.

In 2010, the European Union permitted to use hazardous methanol instead of much more expensive ethanol in the production of antifreeze mixtures.

Since then, tens of people have died in Poland after consuming alcohol made of mixtures for windshield washers.

Polish authorities registered 77 cases of methanol poisoning 22 of which ended lethally last year only, LN writes.