Kids hospitalised for drinking poison

FOUR youths hospitalised after a Halloween drinking binge are thought to have mistakenly consumed a corrosive cleaning fluid used in pubs.

Two of them, a 14-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl, were still in intensive care last night.

The four are 16-year-old Chantelle Byrne, from Railway Street; Anthony Conway, from Hardwicke Street Flats; John Collins, from Dorset Street Flats; and another boy known locally Mitchie.

They were seen at Dorset Street Flats, in Dublin’s north inner city, drinking out of large bottles of spirits, including gin and Pernod.

The bottles, commonly seen in pubs, had attachments used for pouring shot measures.

Gardai were last night checking nearby pubs to see if any bottles were stolen, including bottles containing liquid used to clean pumps.

It not yet known whether the bleach was contained in a spirit bottle or whether the four youths just didn’t notice what they were drinking.

There had been claims earlier that a man had approached the four at the flats and had deliberately given them the bottle containing the corrosive liquid. But gardai ruled that out last night: “We have interviewed a number of people. We are happy that this was more accidental than malicious,” said a garda spokesman.

He said the four, while ill, were not in any immediate danger.

The youths were drinking between 12am and 1am on a wall in Dorset Street Flats after watching the Halloween celebrations.

Locals said John Collins was the last to drink out of the bottle and, seeing the reaction of his friends, he spat out the liquid. They were taken to the Mater Hospital, where staff contacted the gardaí.

Two were later transferred, one to St James’s Hospital and the other to St Vincent’s. The scene was immediately preserved and property, including bottles, was taken for examination.

Community Garda Frank Howe was at the bonfire earlier in the night and saw no sign of trouble. “We were all shocked by this. We’ve never had any trouble here before.”

Medical experts yesterday said it could take weeks before they could assess if the youths suffered any long term damage to internal organs.