The phone call that made Sue realise her daughter was going to die.

When Sue White's phone rang about her daughter Simone in Laos, she had a sinking feeling in her gut.

Her 28-year-old daughter, from Orpington, south-east London, was on a holiday with friends in Laos when they enjoyed a night out in the backpacking hot spot Van Vieng.

The next day, Simone and her two friends woke up with headaches that only worsened throughout the day. Eventually, they took themselves to hospital. Sue received a message from one of Simone's friends.

"I don't want to worry you, but we're all in hospital and they think it is acidosis. Simone is the worst affected out of all of us, but she's not doing too badly. Keep you updated," it read, according to the UK's Sunday Times.

Sue tried to stay calm. Then her phone rang. Simone was in a critical condition. They believed she drank vodka contaminated with methanol and needed urgent brain surgery.

"I knew when I had that phone call — I don't know what it was, call it a mother's intuition — but I knew that she was going to die," she told the Times.

Sue immediately set off on a "terrible" 16-hour journey to her daughter's bedside, worried sick that her daughter was about to undergo brain surgery. She arrived just as Simone was being taken in for the operation.

"It was horrendous… She had such beautiful long blonde hair, which had all been shaved off for the operation. It was the worst experience of my life. There are no words, really."

Simone died on November 21. She was one of six tourists to be killed by the suspected mass methanol poisoning.

Australian teenagers Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones were also amongst those who died. The two 19-year-olds were enjoying a backpacking holiday when they fell gravely ill.

Their bodies have since been flown home to Australia.

Watch: Warning to tourists as sixth traveller dies in Laos from methanol poisoning. Post continues below.

The source of the methanol poisoning outbreak is currently being investigated.

The ABC reports that the Laos Ministry of Health's Department of Food and Drugs has since prohibited the sale or consumption of local spirit brands Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky. The "rundown factory" where the alcohol is made, per ABC, is located outside the capital, Vientiane, and has reportedly been closed down.

The government's Smartraveller on Friday issued a warning urging Australians to avoid the products.

"Lao authorities have issued an order prohibiting the sale and consumption of Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky due to their concerns about these products being a health risk," it states.

"Australians should avoid consuming these products due to these serious safety concerns."

According to the ABC, police have arrested the distillery owner and three foreign nationals who were working at Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng — where the six backpackers were staying when they were poisoned.

Eight staff members were also arrested last week. No charges have been laid.

What is methanol, and how does it get into alcoholic drinks?

Methanol is an odourless, colourless and flammable alcohol, but it's not safe for drinking. The alcohol we consume is made with ethanol.

Methanol is used in industrial and household products such as fuel, paint strippers, antifreeze and windshield cleaning fluids.

The chemical is occasionally illegally added to alcoholic drinks in countries with more relaxed alcohol regulations as a cheaper way to increase the alcohol content in a drink.

Listen to what you should know about methanol poisoning on Mamamia's twice-daily news podcast, The Quicky. Post continues below.

What does methanol poisoning do to you?

Methanol is extremely poisonous. Sometimes even as little as a shot can be fatal.

As little as 30ml can be deadly for a child and 60ml to 240ml for an adult, according to Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Methanol is so toxic because of how our body metabolises it.

While ethanol is metabolised into a toxic compound called acetaldehyde, it rapidly converts to acetate (which is found in common vinegar and is something the body can use for several purposes).

However, methanol breaks down into other compounds that are far more hazardous.

Methanol is metabolised into formaldehyde (a chemical used for embalming corpses) and formic acid (the chemical that gives ant bites their sting).

Methanol poisoning can cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Blindness is common and often permanent too, as is organ damage.

Melbourne teenagers Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones died from suspected methanol poisoning. Image: Facebook

Symptoms of methanol poisoning.

In its early stages, methanol poisoning may just seem like you're drunk. Pay attention to whether your intoxication levels feel disproportionate to how much alcohol you have consumed.

Severe symptoms do not usually occur until 12 to 24 hours after consumption.

Methanol poisoning symptoms can include:

• abdominal pain

• nausea

• vomiting

• breathing difficulty

• vision problems (blindness, dilated pupils, flashes of light, tunnel vision, changes in colour perception, blurred vision)

• seizures

• and/or comas

Smartraveller urges Australians to be alert to drink origins and spiking, particularly with spirit-based drinks, including cocktails.

Contaminated drinks could include local home-brewed spirits, spirit-based drinks and brand-name alcohol, as labels on bottles aren't always accurate.

To protect yourself from drink poisoning, Smartraveller says:

• consider the risks when drinking alcoholic beverages

• be careful drinking cocktails and drinks made with spirits

• drink only at reputable licensed premises

• and avoid homemade alcoholic drinks

Feature image: Facebook.