Staff from a backpacker hostel have been detained after six tourists died from suspected methanol poisoning after a night out.View on euronews

T he death of six tourists visiting Laos is suspected to be the result of mass methanol poisoning, after all are believed to have consumed alcoholic drinks tainted with the toxic substance. With officials issuing fresh warnings about the dangers of ingesting methanol, here’s what you should know about what it is and how it affects the body.

Eight hostel staff have been arrested in Laos after tourist deaths from suspected methanol poisoning. Police have detained eight employees of a backpacker hostel in Laos following the deaths of six tourists, believed to be caused by methanol poisoning last week.

Police in Laos have arrested eight people over the suspected mass methanol poisoning which killed six foreign tourists in backpacking hotspot Vang Vieng.

Six people have died, including Simone White from Kent, after falling ill in the town of Vang Vieng, a town popular with backpackers.

Police in Laos have arrested eight people over a suspected mass methanol poisoning that killed six people earlier this month. A British woman, two Australian teenagers, an American and two Danes died last week after drinking tainted alcohol at the NANA Backpackers Hostel in the popular backpacker town of Vang Vieng.

The problem with methanol poisoning is that it looks very much like alcohol poisoning. And delays in treatment can be fatal.

The local governor visited the hostel in which some of the victims were staying, promising justice for those responsible.

Six travelers have died from suspected methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, Laos. Most of these incidents occur in Asia, according to Doctors Without Borders.