Russia Prolongs Ban On Sale Of Cleaning Liquids With Alcohol

Poisonings with surrogate alcohol are common in Russia (file photo)

Russia's consumer protection agency prolonged a ban on sales of alcoholic liquids not intended for internal consumption by another 60 days after dozens of people died from drinking lethal bath lotion.

The agency, Rospotrebnadzor, initially introduced a 30-day ban on sales of perfumes, lotions, and household cleaners that contain alcohol on December 26.

Authorities said 76 people in Siberia's Irkutsk region died between December 17 and early January after they drank bath lotion that investigators said contained methyl wood alcohol, which can be fatal.

Poisonings with surrogate alcohol are common in Russia.