Three killed after dry ice is thrown in pool for 'dramatic visual effect' at beauty blogger's birthday party
Three people were killed while seven more were in intensive care for acute poisoning after dry ice was thrown in a swimming pool at a popular Russian blogger's birthday party. A few other guests also reportedly suffered from chemical burns.
Popular health Instagrammer Ekaterina Didenko's 29th birthday party went awry after her husband, Valentin Didenko, 32, unloaded 55lb of dry ice to create a dramatic 'visual effect' intended to impress guests at Devyaty Val bathing center, a well-known Moscow pool and sauna complex.
Her friends, Natalia Monakova and Yuri Alferov, both 25, were confirmed dead at the scene.
Ekaterina posted a video announcing their deaths and was in tears as she tried to answer her daughter's question, "Where is daddy?"
"Valya is not with us anymore," she said after being released from the hospital. "Or Natasha (Natalia). Or Yura (Yuri). I can't tell you anything else, I have signed a ban to disclose any information. I did not cry yesterday... Today, I just exploded," she cried. "I thought it was not true, that it was a nightmare. Nastya (daughter) woke up today [asking]: 'Where is daddy?"
"I do not know what to say to her," she continued. "She is asking me: 'Why are you crying?'"
Ekaterina is a popular blogger on Instagram known for giving advice on medicines for use at home. She is a highly qualified pharmacist, according to Daily Mail.
Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide and, when put into water, produces heavy carbon dioxide vapor. It can be deadly if it is released in a poorly ventilated space.
When Valentin poured the dry ice into the pool, people started fainting. Her friends, Natalia Monakova and Yuri Alferov reportedly died from pulmonary edemas after breathing excessive carbon dioxide.
According to Metro, The Russian Investigative Committee confirmed a criminal case was opened into causing death by negligence.