Ekaterina Didenko dry ice pool party leads to three deaths as popular Russian Instagram blogger breaks down.
Three people have been killed and six seriously injured after more than 25 kilos of dry ice was thrown in a swimming pool causing acute poisoning at a popular Russian blogger’s birthday party.
The victims suffered from carbon dioxide poisoning after the dry ice was mixed with pool water during Ekaterina Didenko‘s 29th birthday on Thursday.
Local media identified the deceased as the blogger’s husband, Valentin (Valya) Didenko, 32, plus party-goers Natalia Monakova and Yuri Alferov, both 25.
All three are believed to have died from from pulmonary edemas after breathing excessive carbon monoxide.
Some guests were reported to have suffered from chemical burns.
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‘Why are you crying mommy?’
The distraught Russian blogger who lost her husband and two friends in the incident shared video announcing their deaths.
In her video, Didenko – a mother-of-two who has one 1.4 million Instagram followers – is seen dramatically weeping, asking her daughter, ‘Where is Daddy?’
‘Valya is not with us any more,’ responds the Russian social media icon after being released from hospital.
‘Or Natasha (Natalia). Or Yura (Yuri).
‘I can’t tell you anything else.
‘I have signed a ban to disclose any information.
‘I can’t say anything.
‘I did not cry yesterday…today I just exploded.
‘I thought it was not true, it was a nightmare.
‘Nastya (daughter) woke up today – ‘Where is daddy?’
‘I do not know what to say to her…
‘She is asking me: ‘Why are you crying?’
Criminal case opened exploring death caused by negligence.
Earlier Ekaterina had posted from hospital to say her husband was, like her, in intensive care. At the time, the popular influencer was unaware that Valentin had died.
Ekaterina was among those in intensive care after her husband unloaded 55lb of dry ice to create a dramatic ‘visual effect’ intended to impress guests at a Moscow pool and sauna complex.
He too was initially in intensive care after emergency services were called to the party.
Ekaterina – who was initially wrongly reported to have been killed – posted: ‘I am alive, I am behind the doors of an intensive care ward.
I don’t know who died…
‘Valya (husband Valentin) is in the intensive care, I don’t know what state he is in.’
Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide and produces heavy vapour when put into water.
The vapour can cause high levels of carbon dioxide in blood when released in a poorly ventilated space.
Valentin wanted the dry ice ‘to create an impressive steam show’ as party guests jumped into the pool.
But as soon as the ice was poured, people started fainting.
Moments earlier guests had been laughing and clinking glasses.
Mother-of-two Ekaterina is a popular Instagram blogger with one million plus people following her account which gives advice on medicines for home use.
A highly qualified pharmacist, she gives advice on keeping home medicine cupboards leaner and more effective while also sharing intimate moments of her own life according to a report via the dailymail.
Some posted videos include the pharmacist filming chemical experiments with her young daughter.
The Russian Investigative Committee confirmed a criminal case was opened into causing death by negligence.
The ‘preliminary reason for the death of three (partygoers) was mechanical asphyxia because their airways were blocked’, reported crime channel 112.
The three were in the pool when the dry ice was released and could not breathe.
Five people remained at hospital. It remained unclear how the Russian pharmacist was unaware that the dry ice being heaped into the pool was a recipe for tragedy….?