Soldiers ill after drinking antifreeze
11 hospitalized after field exercise, thought substance was alcohol
Eleven soldiers at Fort Bliss in Texas remained hospitalized Friday, one day after they drank antifreeze, believing it was alcohol, during a field training exercise, military officials said.
Initial lab tests showed that the soldiers were experiencing ethylene glycol poisoning after ingesting the antifreeze on the final day of a 10-day training exercise, Lt. Col. Allie Payne, a spokeswoman for the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, said at a news conference.
Payne declined to discuss the episode in detail, saying it remained under investigation by Army Criminal Investigation Command. Maj. Gen. Sean Bernabe, senior mission commander of the 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss, has ordered an administrative investigation.
Army personnel are prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages while on duty or in a training environment, Payne said.
Two soldiers initially were admitted to the William Beaumont Army Medical Center in critical condition but had shown notable improvement and were in serious condition in the intensive care unit Friday, Payne said. The nine other soldiers were in stable condition and could be released soon, she said.
It was not clear how much antifreeze the soldiers had consumed, Payne said, adding the “personnel believed that they were consuming an alcoholic beverage.”
Consuming large amounts of ethylene glycol can cause complete organ failure, Col. Shawna Scully, deputy commander of medical services at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center, said. Smaller amounts can cause nausea, agitation and confusion, she said. And some who consume very small amounts may not experience any symptoms, Scully said.
“We took immediate action to treat everyone involved with the best medical care available,” Bernabe said in a statement. “Our commitment to soldiers and families remains our No. 1 priority as we work to understand what occurred Jan. 28.”
The injured included a warrant officer, two noncommissioned officers and eight enlisted soldiers.