A Russian influencer has taken to social media to share details of a freak accident that claimed the lives of her partner and several friends.
Mum blogger Ekaterina Didenko shared a video to her 1.1 millions followers of herself sobbing as she revealed her husband Valentin Didenko and several other guests at her 29th birthday suffered carbon dioxide poisoning after 25kg of dry ice was unloaded into a pool to create a spectacular “steam show” effect.
“Valya is not with us any more,” she began.
“I did not cry yesterday. Today I just exploded. I thought it was not true, it was a nightmare.
“Nastya (her daughter) woke up today – ‘Where is daddy?’ I do not know what to say to her …
“She is asking me: ‘Why are you crying?’”
According to reports, the social media star had installed a dry ice showpiece that was meant to wow partygoers with huge clouds of smoke.
But after it went off, guests immediately began suffering severe breathing problems and fainting, and some reportedly had chemical burns.
Natalia Monakova and Yuri Alferov, both 25, were confirmed dead at the scene, according to reports in Russia.
IT specialist Valentin, also known as Valya, died in hospital and seven others are being treated for their injuries.
Ekaterina was initially reported to be among the dead but posted a video online from her bed in hospital before she knew her husband had died.
The qualified pharmacist had earlier told her millions of followers: “I am alive, I am behind the doors of an intensive care ward.
“I don’t know who died. Valya is in the intensive care. I don’t know what state he is in.”
News.com.au reports that dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide that produces a vapour when mixed with water, but in high concentrations it can cause levels of carbon dioxide in blood to soar, blocking oxygen from reaching vital organs.
The three who died were all in the water at the time, according to reports.
The Russian Investigative Committee confirmed a criminal case was opened into causing death by negligence.
