Third Man Dies After Drinking Home Brew
Left to right: Joel Lynam and Bryan Wilmot died earlier this week, Joshua Lynam remains in hospital and Vincent Summers has also died. Photo: Warwick Daily News
A third man has died after drinking a botched batch of home-brewed grappa.
Vincent Summers, 21, died in Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital on Tuesday evening.
He was hospitalised after consuming the home-made batch of the Italian spirit on Saturday night with friends Joel Lynam, Joshua Lynam and Bryan Wilmot in the southern Queensland town of Ballandean.
Joel Lynam, 21, died at the Ballandean property on Sunday from suspected methanol poisoning.
Mr Wilmot, 30, was rushed to Toowoomba Hospital in a critical condition, but died late on Monday after his life support was turned off.
The sole survivor Joshua Lynam, 26, remains in a serious condition at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.
There have been conflicting reports about whether the men were drinking home-brewed grappa or wine. It is not yet clear whether the alcohol was solely responsible for the deaths.
A police spokesman said investigators were taking a broad view as they probed the tragedy.
It’s understood police will investigate the amount of alcohol the men consumed and whether they had taken any other substances.
A quantity of home-made alcohol is being analysed and a report is being prepared for the coroner, according to police.
Sources said the home-made grappa might have been laced with antifreeze, which typically contains the highly toxic, but sweet-tasting chemical ethylene glycol.
However, a neighbour has told media the father of the Lynam boys was brewing alcohol to make biodiesel on the family’s property.
Local winemaker Angelo Puglisi said the boys likely consumed the alcohol by mistake.
‘‘This ’grappa’ that everyone is talking about was being produced to make diesel and somehow these young fellas got hold of it,’’ he told AAP.
‘‘They just made a mistake and whole thing’s been blown out of proportion, the whole nation knows about it.’’
He said the Lynam family needed compassion, not speculation.
‘‘We should feel sorry for them, they are a family.
‘‘The father has already had tragedy in his life, his wife died only a few months ago. We’ve got to worry about them.’’
News Source…..www.brisbanetimes.com.au