The toxic chemical was found in the bloodstream of all 21 teenagers, whose lifeless bodies police found slumped over chairs and couches, lying on tables and sprawled out on the dance floor at Enyobeni Tavern. But researchers are still not sure if the levels found were high enough to have killed the teenagers. “Methanol has been detected in all 21 people who were there, but there is still ongoing analysis of the quantitative levels of methanol and whether it could have been the ultimate cause of death,” said Dr. clinical service, he said at a press conference on Tuesday. Story continues below ad

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More conclusive results will come later after a laboratory in Cape Town completes its analysis, he said. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, methanol poisoning usually occurs when people drink beverages contaminated with the chemical, but inhaling high concentrations of methanol vapor has also been shown to be just as toxic. It is unclear at this time how the 21 teenagers became poisoned with methanol.

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Initially, authorities thought the victims had died of alcohol poisoning or carbon monoxide inhalation, but both of those possible causes have since been ruled out, Matiwane said. National Police Minister Becky Sele said South African police would wait until a final toxicology analysis was completed before deciding whether anyone would face criminal charges over the 21 deaths. In the wake of the tragedy, the owner and some employees of the Enyobeni Tavern were arrested for violating liquor laws, including selling liquor to children, but are currently out on bail.

History of deaths

Police said they were called to the Enyobeni Tavern in East London township in the Eastern Cape province around 4am on Sunday, June 26, after receiving a report that there were “lifeless bodies” there. Story continues below ad

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The police who responded to the call entered a grim scene: 17 of the teenagers were found dead in the nightclub. Two others died at a local clinic, one died on the way to another hospital and one at the hospital. The youngest victim was a 13-year-old girl and the oldest victims were 17. Trending Stories

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The teenagers were reportedly celebrating the end of mid-year exams, a local DJ’s birthday and the easing of some of South Africa’s latest COVID-19 restrictions, announced earlier in the week. Survivors spoke of smelling a strong and suffocating smell that filled the packed club as the teenagers began to collapse on the dance floor.

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“Others just passed out, fell asleep on the couch, (and) died. It tells you the story that they were all kids because someone should have noted it.” “They died while dancing,” said Police Minister Becky Sele. “They dance, fall and die. Literally.” Sinovuyo Monyane, 19, who was hired by the bar to promote an alcohol brand, was among the survivors and considers herself lucky to be alive. Story continues below ad

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In an interview with AFP, she told the news agency that she escaped through a locked door as clubgoers desperately tried to flee the horrific scene. “We tried to get through the crowd, shouting ‘please let us through’ and others were shouting ‘we’re dying, guys’ and ‘we’re suffocating’ and ‘there are people who can’t breathe,’” he said. “At that moment I passed out. I was out of breath and there was a strong smell of some type of spray in the air. We thought it was pepper spray.”

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Monyane regained consciousness after being sprayed with water. “I got up and realized there were dead bodies around. I saw people pouring water, but those people didn’t even move,” he said in a telephone interview. “I could have died.” AFP also spoke to a member of staff at the bar, Sifiso Promise Matinise, who said he threw water on collapsed teenagers in an attempt to wake them up. He thought they were just drunk until the gravity of the situation sunk in. Story continues below ad “I saw two people collapse. They died,” he said.

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Parents were asked to come to a mortuary to identify their children. The Eastern Cape health department said there are survivors being treated in hospital for back pain, chest tightness, vomiting and headaches. Police Minister Cele said the teenagers died between 02:00 and 04:30 on Sunday. He had also visited the nightclub and the morgue on Sunday and choked back tears as he spoke to reporters outside the morgue. “The sight of those bodies sleeping there … when you look at their faces, you realize you’re dealing with children, children, children,” Cele said. “You’ve heard the story that they’re young, but when you see them you know they’re a disaster. Twenty one of them. Too many.” — With files from The Associated Press © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.