Overview

• A 46-year-old woman was hospitalized with severe internal burns after consuming bottled water contaminated with caustic soda at a brasserie in Plan-de-Campagne, near Marseille.
• A server who tasted the water to verify the issue also sustained burns to the mouth, though both victims are now reported to be out of life-threatening danger.
• Caustic soda, a highly corrosive chemical commonly used for cleaning and unclogging drains, was identified as the contaminant in the water by hospital laboratory tests.
• Authorities have launched an investigation to determine whether the chemical was present in the sealed bottle or introduced after opening, with potential production, distribution, or handling errors under scrutiny.
• The regional health agency and local authorities have been notified, and the investigation is being led by the Division of Territorial Crime in the Bouches-du-Rhône.