A 21-year-old man was left in a coma and eight others were hospitalized after attending a weekend pool party in the Mexican city of Leon where organizers of the event poured liquid nitrogen into the water.
Liquid nitrogen was dumped into the pool and reacted with chlorine, forming a toxic cloud. People inside the pool began to fall unconscious and slip beneath the water. One of the victims, identified by Univision Noticias as 21-year-old José Ignacio López del Toro, remains in intensive care in a comatose state.
Among the eight people that were hospitalized and diagnosed with heart problems was the hostess of the promotional party, Jael Jimenez. "They realized that I had fainted because they saw the tray floating alone in the pool, otherwise I might have drowned", Jimenez told Milenio.com.
According to authorities of the Health Department of Leon in the state of Guanajuato, the party that took place Saturday was organized by Jägermeister, the alcoholic beverage maker based out of Germany.
Videos recorded at the event show the exact moment when organizers of the party hosted in La Colonia Granjas El Palote attempted to create a smoky effect by pouring four buckets of liquid nitrogen into the pool, without realizing it would be an unsafe mix.
Reports say that when the extremely cold liquid came in contact with the water, it reacted with the chlorine and started sending toxic plumes into the air that left young party goers gasping for breath, Excelsior.com reported.
The video, taken by one partygoer, shows how the mood changed to panic when people realized their friends were in danger.
Those inside the water began passing out and started to call for help. The victims were pulled to safety by guests and paramedics and rushed to the regional hospital. Eight people received medical attention in the Campestre Medical Hospital and have since been released.
The party, hosted by Jägermeister, brought together about 200 young people. At some point, employees dressed in orange uniforms started pouring liquid nitrogen into the pool, which quickly filled with thick white smoke.
Jägermeister has yet to comment.
This is not the first time this substance been used dangerously. Last year, a teenager has her stomach removed after drinking a cocktail made with the liquid. If swallowed, liquid nitrogen can cause cold burns in the mouth, throat and stomach, killing the tissue.
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