A man has died and another was taken to hospital after the pair lost consciousness during treatment in a mofetta in Szeklerland, central Romania. The accident occurred at Büdösfürdő, an unusual mountain resort known for its naturally occurring volcanic gas baths.
Emergency services were called to Büdösfürdő, or Sântimbru-Băi in Romanian, on Saturday after two men were found unconscious inside a mofetta, Romanian news agency Mediafax reported, citing Harghita County emergency services.
According to authorities, both men were around 40–45 years old. Rescue teams attempted to resuscitate them, but one of the men could not be saved. The other was transported to hospital.
Firefighters had to enter the gas-filled area wearing self-contained breathing equipment to remove the victims. Emergency crews described the environment as heavily saturated with carbon dioxide and dangerous to breathe.
Police have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the incident, while an autopsy is expected to determine the exact cause of death.
What is a mofetta and why can it be dangerous?
Unlike a conventional spa bath, a mofetta contains no water. Visitors instead sit or stand in a sunken chamber where naturally occurring volcanic gases seep out of the ground and collect close to the floor.
Büdösfürdő lies high in the Harghita Mountains, an area shaped by ancient volcanic activity and still known for its mineral springs and natural gas emissions. More than ten such gas outlets have been identified around Sântimbru-Băi, several of which have traditionally been used for therapeutic purposes.
According to the official Visit Harghita tourism portal, gas samples from the area can contain anywhere between 14 and 99 percent carbon dioxide, together with hydrogen sulfide and radon. The treatments are traditionally associated with cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and certain nervous-system conditions.
Even the Hungarian name of the resort hints at its unusual geology: Büdösfürdő roughly means “smelly bath,” a reference to the sulphurous gases that rise naturally from the ground.
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A traditional treatment that can also be dangerous
The same physical properties that make mofettas unusual can also make them hazardous. Carbon dioxide is heavier than air, so it can accumulate close to the ground in pits and enclosed depressions.
At high concentrations, it can displace oxygen and lead to dizziness, unconsciousness and potentially fatal asphyxiation.
Carbon dioxide itself is colourless and odourless. The natural gas mixture at Büdösfürdő, however, can also contain hydrogen sulfide, which is responsible for a characteristic sulphurous smell. That is why visitors must keep their head above the concentrated gas layer and follow safety instructions while undergoing treatment.
This is not the first fatal incident at Büdösfürdő
A similar tragedy occurred at the same resort in 2016. A 39-year-old woman was found dead inside a mofetta at Sântimbru-Băi in July that year. Emergency services recovered her body from the facility, and initial investigations at the time indicated that her death was likely the result of an accident.
The latest incident has once again highlighted the unusual dual nature of Transylvania’s mofettas: the naturally occurring gases have been used as part of local therapeutic traditions for decades, but exposure to high concentrations can pose a serious danger.
Authorities have not yet established what caused the two men to lose consciousness, and the official cause of death remains under investigation.
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