JAKARTA ~ Nine people died and six were hospitalized after drinking an alcohol-based brew in West Java province, officials said on Wednesday.
The victims were poisoned during a party on Saturday evening in Indramayu district, West Java province, local police detective chief Soritua Harahap said.
“We are still investigating the substance they used to mix with the alcohol,” he said.
A local doctor, Asep Hendradiana, said five people died in his hospital after being admitted on Monday. Four more died in another hospital and at home, he added.
“The victims have consumed a home-made alcohol drink using unsafe or even lethal substances such as methylated spirit or insecticide,” the doctor said.
“It has become a habit for them to mix whatever that can give a maximum effect to get drunk.”
Hendradiana said the six people hospitalized were still in a weak condition.
At least 15 Thai fisherman and an Indonesian died after drinking a strong brew of alcohol and pig fat in Papua province in July.