Three die after dry ice stunt at Russian Instagram star's pool party goes awry

MOSCOW (AFP): Three people have died at a Moscow birthday party after around 30kg of dry ice meant to create special effects was tipped into a pool, investigators and reports said on Saturday (Feb 29).

The party at the Moscow pool complex late on Friday was to mark the birthday of Ekaterina Didenko, a popular Instagram influencer focusing on pharmaceutical products with more than a million followers.

Two people died at the scene while a third died in hospital, Russia's investigative committee said in a statement, announcing a criminal probe into the incident.

Didenko's husband Valentin was the man who died later in hospital, the Tass news agency reported. Four other people suffered chemical burns and poisoning.

The RIA Novosti news agency said the victims had jumped into the pool after the dry ice had been tipped into the water and suffered chemical reactions.

The Mash news channel on messenger service Telegram posted tearful videos it said were of Didenko, first at the hospital saying she had survived and then, in a distraught state, paying tribute to her husband after his death was confirmed.

The dry ice was intended to create a fog cloud over the pool. When dry ice - the solid form of carbon dioxide - is dropped into water it creates swirling clouds but can also cause an explosion. - AFP