HOSTEL TRAGEDY
Sri Lankan hostel where Brit, 24, stayed before mystery death ‘had just fumigated rooms with toxic bedbug chemicals’
Authorities have since ordered the hostel to shut down pending a full probe
COPS investigating the mystery death of a British woman in Sri Lanka are now probing whether chemical exposure at her hostel may have played a role.
The 24-year-old was staying at the Miracle Colombo City Hostel when she suddenly began "vomiting violently" and was rushed to hospital.
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She was tragically pronounced dead shortly after her arrival at the Colombo General Hospital.
A German couple, who had been sharing a room with the unnamed Brit, also fell ill with similar symptoms, including severe vomiting and breathing difficulties.
They reportedly remain in hospital receiving treatment.
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Investigators are now looking into whether food poisoning or another cause was behind the Brit's sudden death, local outlet reports.
One line of inquiry is the possible impact of chemical exposure, as the adjacent room at the hostel had reportedly been fumigated with phosphine - a highly toxic pesticide - on January 30.
Phosphine, a colorless and flammable gas, is commonly used to kill bedbugs but is also a potent respiratory toxin.
The room had reportedly been sealed for 72 hours following the treatment.
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Authorities have since ordered the hostel to shut down pending a full investigation.
The closure will remain in place until experts determine whether the premises are safe to operate, police said.
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Sri Lanka’s Government Analyst’s Department has launched an urgent investigation, and experts were meant to inspect the lodge yesterday.
Officials from the Ministry of Health and a judicial medical officer are also involved in the probe.
Police have taken food samples as part of their ongoing inquiry.
A post-mortem examination will be conducted once the victim’s relatives arrive to formally identify her remains.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: "We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Sri Lanka and are in contact with the local authorities."
The Sun has contacted Miracle Colombo City Hostel for more information.
The case comes just weeks after another British woman and her fiancé were allegedly fatally poisoned by methanol-laced limoncello at their Vietnam hotel.
Newly engaged couple Greta Marie Otteson, 33, and Arno Els Quinton, 36, had reportedly received two bottles of the “homemade” liqueur from a local restaurant on Christmas Eve.
Tragically, their bodies were discovered in separate rooms at the Hoi An Silverbell Villa two days later on Boxing Day — just three weeks after their engagement.
Police launched an urgent investigation and found empty bottles inside the villa, where the couple had been managing the property for 10 months.
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Authorities now confirm the pair died from methanol poisoning after drinking contaminated alcohol, suspected to be the homemade limoncello they had purchased.
The tragedy follows a similar case in Laos five weeks earlier, when six people, including 28-year-old British lawyer Simone White, died after consuming tainted vodka shots at a hostel.
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