"1 killed, dozens hospitalized due to methanol poisoning in northern Vietnam", 15 March 2023

A total of 37 workers at a factory in Bac Ninh Province, northern Vietnam have been hospitalized for methanol poisoning with one of them dead as of Monday as their company used methanol-tainted alcohol to cool off cutting machines.

[...] The patients are workers of HSTECH Vina Co. Ltd., which produces electronic accessories, including a metal component produced by cutting.According to the workers, ethanol was sprayed to cool off cutting machines. Workers also use ethanol to clean some components. The company began using a new batch of ethanol from the last week of February and workers started to report fatigue and headaches.

Among them, N.T.H., a 42-year-old female resident in Thuan Thanh District, Bac Ninh Province, was in the most serious condition. [...] Despite urgent treatment, she died later due to brain damage. T.V.N., from northern Cao Bang Province, is another patient with serious symptoms. [...] His consciousness has improved but he still suffers brain and eye damage. [...]

The workers were poisoned with methanol as they breathed the methanol-contaminated air and had direct contact with the substance through their skin, doctor Nguyen added. [...]