An elderly man and woman remained in a serious condition at Dunedin Hospital today after being poisoned by a suspected cleaning chemical.
The 77-year-old man and 79-year-old woman are thought to have drunk a chemical used for cleaning beer lines at the Waikouaiti RSA, north of Dunedin, thinking it was water, last Friday night.
The liquid was in a jug on the bar at the RSA.
They had suffered burns to their stomach linings, but it was hoped both would recover fully.
A 61-year-old man who had consumed less of the liquid was released from hospital on Saturday.
Dunedin RSA president Jenepher (crct) Glover, who visited the elderly pair in hospital, told the Otago Daily Times they were "quite bright and quite philosophical".
A sample of the liquid was sent to ESR for analysis, but inquiries suggested the liquid was a chemical cleaner used to clean beer lines, Detective Sergeant Chris Henderson said.
Beer-line cleaners generally contained heavy-duty alkaline chemicals with corrosive qualities.
The Department of Labour is investigating.
- NZPA
Pair hospitalised after drinking chemical at RSA
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