A man was hospitalised after drinking from a bottle of hand sanitiser – which looked just like a water bottle.
Arran Lawson, 22, took a swig from the blue plastic bottle and had no idea he was drinking chemicals similar to antifreeze.
The hand sanitiser had no taste or smell, and Arran ran into the bathroom to throw up but found his vision was rapidly affected and collapsed on the floor where he continued vomiting.
Paramedics rushed him to hospital where medics were alarmed at the odourless and highly chemical sanitiser, and he was kept in overnight at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
The hand sanitiser had been kept under the till at a branch of Scotmid, in Prestonpans, East Lothian, where Arran works.
He said wearing a mask makes him dehydrated and he mistook the bottle for water.
Scotmid says it does not allow staff to keep food or drink beneath tills, and that the bottles are clearly labelled.
After drinking the chemicals on Friday at around 8pm, Arran was still off on Tuesday.
He has tried to track down the company, branded as ‘Hand-i’ and bottled in Scotland, but without any luck, to alert them to the risks.
He says he overheard medics saying they were ‘absolutely baffled by this’ at the hospital.
Arran said: “The one which is in the water bottle is generally for customers to pour onto tissue to wipe down baskets with – staff use a squirty gel which is kept behind the tills.
“It is really liquid and not alcohol based.
“I would have noticed normally if I had picked up the wrong bottle but I was distracted.
“It’s the same design as a sports cap, and it doesn’t smell or taste of anything.
“Even the doctors said they were concerned by it.
“It contains chemicals similar to antifreeze.
“I got lucky I think because of the time between realising I needed a medical response, and from the time of ingesting it, I had time to drown myself with water and throw up a lot.
“But afterwards I couldn’t eat, my stomach was burnt, and I had to go through several blood tests.
“While I was in hospital I was trying to reach the company which makes the bottle but it was hard to pinpoint where it had come from.
“The company which is on the label doesn’t seem to exist – it’s mental.
“Even natural gas has an odour so you are aware of it.”
In the aftermath of the horror accident, Arran, from Prestonpans, had to be put in the recovery position until an ambulance arrived.
He said: “I ran into the bathroom and I thought I was going to throw up, my vision started to go weird and I was vomiting and got lightheaded.
“I tried to stand up but I fainted.
“I was lying on my back being sick and someone put me on my side.
“The thing I want to raise awareness of is the sanitiser, there might be other places that have it.
“I want others to be aware.”
A spokesman for Scotmid said: “We have been in contact with our member of staff to check on his wellbeing and are currently investigating the incident.
“We want to reassure all our customers that we have clear policies in place to prevent this kind of incident.
“We do not allow food or drink to be consumed at the tills and we have trained all staff on the use of hand sanitisers, which are kept in staff-only areas.
“All hand sanitiser bottles are clearly labelled in our stores.”