Deadly toilet cleaner mistake claims 3 lives in Chonburi
Famous chemistry lecturer warns combining sodium hydroxide with toilet cleaning liquid can produce deadly fumes
A well-known chemistry lecturer warned that using sodium hydroxide or caustic soda with toilet cleaning liquid can be fatal after an elderly mother and her two daughters were found dead inside a bathroom.
On Monday, Pol Captain Ananya (surname withheld), 60, a deputy investigative inspector at Muang Chonburi Police Station, was found unconscious inside the toilet at her police quarters in Chonburi.
Her daughters, Jitpisut, 34, and Pannikar, 25, were also found unconscious lying next to her. All three were rushed to hospital where they were pronounced dead.
When they were found, there was foam coming from their mouths and their lips and nails had turned red.
Initial investigation showed that they had poured caustic soda down the toilet and a bottle of unclogging liquid was found nearby. The bottle had a clear warning that the solution could not be used together with sodium hydroxide, a plastic bag of which was also found at the spot.
Weerachai Phutdhawong, a chemistry lecturer at Kasetsart University who is known for offering scientific explanations for mysterious incidents, said in a Facebook post that the deaths may have been caused by the gas that is emitted when caustic soda is mixed with toilet cleaning liquid.
He said the sodium hydroxide reacts with the main chemical in the toilet cleaning liquid resulting in a very strong smelling gas that can irritate the nose and respiratory system. Inhaling the gas can make the person faint and even die if there is no ventilation, Weerachai explained.
