Pine O shot floors drinker
By Paul Anderson
March 07, 2007 07:35am
A MELBOURNE nightclub barmaid deliberately served a shot glass of Pine O Cleen to a customer, it has been claimed.
The man was sick immediately after drinking the fluid early on Sunday morning at the Evolution nightclub in Prahran.
An ambulance was called, but he refused hospital treatment.
He is said to still be ill from swallowing the cleaning chemicals.
Insp Graeme Arthur, of the Region 1 liquor licensing unit, said he was disturbed by the claim.
"He is alleging that he's been given some sort of poisonous substance by a nightclub employee," Insp Arthur said.
"It's very unusual. I haven't seen anything like this before.
"We are following up with the nightclub in terms of whether it was an accident or intentional."
Investigators have video footage and it is believed they found a bottle of Pine O Cleen under the bar at the Commercial Rd venue.
Sources said the man was offered a "complimentary drink".
Pine O Cleen is a hospital grade disinfectant which claims to "kill germs on contact".
The active ingredient is benzalkonium chloride.
Victorian Poisons Centre manager Jeff Robinson said a mouthful of Pine O Cleen would kill any sense of taste for a couple of days and trigger nausea and diarrhoea.
"People can get quite ill from this," Mr Robinson said.
"It wouldn't be a pleasant experience."
Mr Robinson said tricking someone into drinking the fluid would be "stupid and irresponsible".
Insp Arthur said the nightclub had co-operated. Evolution management did not return phone calls from the Herald Sun yesterday.
Herald Sun
