Methanol in Blood of Teens Who Died in South African Tavern

Coffins of 21 teenagers who died in a mysterious tragedy at a nightclub in the early hours of June 26, 2022 are lined up during their funeral held in Scenery Park, East London, South Africa, on July 6, 2022. AP Photo

JOHANNESBURG—The toxic chemical methanol has been identified as a possible cause of the deaths of 21 teenagers at a bar in the South African city of East London last month.

Methanol was found in all of their bodies and investigations are continuing to determine whether the levels of the toxic chemical were enough to have killed them.