Three pensioners were in intensive care in a Grenoble hospital yesterday after ordering a glass each of a popular local liqueur, génépi, and being mistakenly served caustic soda.
The three, a man of 69, his wife, 68, and her 94-year-old mother, were still in a critical condition after drinking the highly corrosive and toxic cleaning fluid on the terrace of a restaurant in the mountain resort of Deux Alpes on Wednesday night, a spokesperson for the gendarmerie said.
”It appears this was an extremely unfortunate accident,” he said.
”Apparently someone went down to the cellar to fill up the génépi bottle and simply used the wrong liquid. Both are colourless, that’s the problem.
”An investigation is under way.”
Génépi is a powerful traditional Alpine liqueur made by marinading mountain herbs in alcohol.
Caustic soda is an extremely powerful cleaning product usually used to clean pipes, and can cause severe or sometimes fatal internal burning if swallowed.
The three victims were rushed to hospital after suffering acute stomach pains and vomiting violently. French radio reported that the full extent of their injuries would probably not be known for two to three weeks.
A similar incident happened in the eastern city of Strasbourg this month when a couple in their 50s were served mineral water that turned out to be contaminated with caustic soda.
The restaurateur concerned in that case has been banned from working in the catering industry and is under formal investigation — one step short of being charged — for causing involuntary injury and misrepresentation of goods. – Guardian Unlimited Â