Whisky from the barrel is considerably stronger than the stuff that’s bottled (which is diluted). Add to that the shorter drinking period too (the urgency of drinking it while the river is still flowing). So I can fully believe people literally drank themselves to death. In fact I’d be surprised if the same fatalities didn’t occur in most cities had they encountered this kind of scenario too.

Sure, that too I suppose.

> During the evacuation many people gathered by the streams of whiskey, filling any vessel at hand with the substance. “Caps, porringers, and other vessels" were all gathered to lap up the burning liquid, resulting in 24 hospitalisations due to alcohol poisoning and 13 subsequent fatalities.

"People drank from the 6 inches (150 mm) deep river of whiskey that is said to have flowed as far as the Coombe"

That's a lot of whisky