Gaby Scanlon had a very unfortunate eighteenth birthday. She went with friends to a bar in Lancaster and had a cocktail which had liquid nitrogen. Liquid nitrogen is added to the cocktail to have a very dramatic effect of floating steamy vapor over the surface of the cocktail.

This terribly cold cryogenic gas caused cold burn to Gaby’s stomach.  After she consumed the cocktail and collapsed with unbearable stomach pain she was rushed to Royal Lancaster Infirmary where her stomach was removed to save her life.

What is the danger of liquid nitrogen? It can show varying dangerous nature depending on the exposure and quantity. Upon contact with air the boiling off liquid nitrogen will expand approximately 700 times. In enclosed spaces this can quickly replace oxygen to cause asphyxiation. Cold burns caused by liquefied gas causes irreparable damage and or death.

Transport regulations lists Liquid Nitrogen as UN 1977, NITROGEN, REFRIGERATED LIQUID, Class 2.2.

Related articles

• Government urged to ban use of liquid nitrogen after teenager Gaby Scanlon loses stomach (telegraph.co.uk)
• Teenager has stomach removed after drinking liquid nitrogen cocktail (itv.com)
• How Dangerous Is Liquid Nitrogen? (presurfer.blogspot.com)
• Teen drinks liquid nitrogen cocktail (smh.com.au)