Blogger’s party piece sparks tragedy
THREE people died after being poisoned by dry ice poured into a swimming pool at a birthday party.
Popular Russian blogger Ekaterina Didenko was celebrating her 29th when hubby Valentin dumped 25kg of the chemical in the water to create a steam show for Instagram snaps.
Valentin, 32, died in hospital after suffering carbon dioxide poisoning while Natalia Monakova and Yuri Alferov, both 25, were declared dead at the Moscow pool and sauna complex on Friday.
Ekaterina was one of five revellers left in intensive care, while others suffered chemical burns.
The mum of two – a pharmacist who advises her one million Instagram fans about medicines for home use – was at first unaware of her husband’s death.
She posted on Friday night: “I am alive, I am behind the doors of an intensive care ward. I don’t know who died. Valya is in intensive care, I don’t know what state he is in.”
Tragically, she later said: “Valya is not with us anymore. Or Natalia. Or Yuri. I did not cry yesterday. Today I just exploded. I thought it was not true, it was a nightmare.”
Ekaterina, who can be seen doing chemistry experiments with her kids online, added that she had signed a document preventing her from disclosing any more information.
Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide that produces heavy vapour when added to water. This can cause high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood when it is released in a poorly ventilated space.
Partygoers reportedly began collapsing and fainting as soon as the dry ice was used.
Russian authorities have confirmed that a criminal case has been opened.