T

hree residents of Munduk village in Banjar, Buleleng regency, north Bali, have died after drinking arak, a locally made liquor, on Tuesday morning.

Another 34 residents were rushed to Singaraja Hospital for immediate treatment as they had consumed the same deadly liquor, with two receiving intensive treatment for symptoms of methanol poisoning. Methanol poisoning causes vomiting, severe headache, stomachache, kidney failure and can result in coma leading to death.

The deaths of the three Munduk residents are not the first fatalities due to local arak. Some people in Bali and Lombok blend arak with dangerous substances, such as methanol '€” a chemical substance used in mosquito repellent, to boost the alcohol level.

Those who consume such liquor get drunk quickly and inexpensively, but it can be deadly.

Last New Year, a 19-year-old Australian tourist died after consuming this deadly liquor while celebrating the year-end festivities in a bar on Gili Trawangan in North Lombok.

The death of an Australian citizen drew wide media coverage and strong inquiries from the governments of Australia and the UK.

According to a police statement from Banjar police precinct, as many as 37 people were involved in several local parties through the afternoon until around midnight. They reportedly bought the arak from a producer named I Komang Duta Arthawan in Munduk village.

At 2 a.m., many of these people started to feel ill, with some in a critical condition.

Neighbors and relatives found the parties'€™ venues and discovered the victims, taking them to hospital. Unfortunately, Nyoman Rudi Alan, 39, an employee at Puri Lumbung Desa Hotel, died on his way to Parama Sidhi Hospital. Made Dwi Adnyana, 45, and Gede Suta Arjawa, 39, died at 3 a.m. at Shanti Graha Hospital in Seririt.

Head of Banjar police precinct, Adj. Comr. Made Sanjaya, said that the case was being investigated.

'€œWe have already summoned and questioned the arak producer '€” I Komang Duta Artawan, and his wife, I Gusti Sri Ekawati,'€ the police said.

The police also confiscated 700 liters of arak, plastic pipes, stoves and other equipment used in the production and mixing of arak with various chemical substances.

'€œWe will take all the confiscated items to the forensic laboratory for further investigation,'€ Sanjaya said.

In 2009, at least 18 people died due to arak poisoning across Bali.

Other incidents had involved tourists in Bali, said head of the Bali Tourism Agency Ida Bagus Kade Subhiksu recently. '€œThey became seriously ill, but none of them died,'€ said Subhiksu. Subhiksu said his agency received numerous emails from Australia, the UK and other countries with questions on the issue. The Australian Consul-General in Bali has also met with Bali'€™s governor to discuss arak.