A man was left fighting for his life after his stomach was reportedly "torn apart" by a liquid nitrogen cocktail served by a celebrity chef at a corporate Christmas party in Moscow. The incident took place during a festive event at the Igra Stolov, or "Game of Tables," cooking studio, where guests were watching a dramatic "cryo-show" performed by an unidentified chef.
As part of the grand celebrations, the celebrity chef mixed flashy cocktails with liquid nitrogen — a substance often used in high-end kitchens to instantly freeze ingredients, but a drink that can be extremely dangerous if it's consumed before it has completely evaporated, according to multiple Moscow media reports.
Celebration Gone Wrong
Witnesses said guests were given no warning about the consequences and dangers, and that the chef allegedly urged one man to drink the cocktail right away. The guest — identified as 38-year-old Sergey — went along with it, with devastating results, amid laughter from the crowd, the Daily Mail reported.
Moments later, he was seen gripping his stomach in severe pain before collapsing, the outlet reported.
Doctors later concluded that the liquid nitrogen rapidly expanded into gas inside his body, causing his stomach to rupture. Sergey was rushed to intensive care, where surgeons performed emergency surgery to repair the life-threatening injury, according to the outlet.
The partygoer was later reported to be conscious and in recovery, although doctors said his condition remained serious.
Liquid nitrogen boils violently at room temperature, and experts warn that swallowing it before it has fully evaporated can cause devastating internal injuries — or even be fatal.
What was supposed to be a joyful office celebration quickly turned into chaos, with stunned guests watching as medics rushed in to save the man's life.
No Taking Risk
Medical specialists insist that liquid nitrogen is extremely dangerous if consumed. Once inside the body, it rapidly converts into gas, expanding hundreds of times in volume. This sudden expansion creates intense internal pressure that can rupture the stomach, cause internal bleeding, and damage vital organs.
The substance's extreme cold can also freeze internal tissues, making the injuries even more severe.
Drinks made with liquid nitrogen are considered safe only after every trace of the substance has completely evaporated. Even a small amount left behind can make swallowing it life-threatening.
Medical experts warn that people have died after ingesting liquid nitrogen directly.
Because of the risks, its use in beverages is tightly regulated or discouraged in many countries. The dangers were starkly highlighted in 2015, when a woman in the UK suffered life-altering injuries after being served a Nitro-Jägermeister shot that still contained liquid nitrogen. She collapsed in intense pain and was rushed to hospital, where doctors were forced to remove her stomach and connect her esophagus directly to her small intestine to save her life.
