ASPEN, CO--Two local college students were found dead in a local hot tub facility near Triangle Park yesterday morning in what police are calling an unusual alcohol-related accident.

The bodies of Lisa Ann Allen, 18, and Susan Burchfield, 20, were examined last night by the coroner's office and said to have both suffered sudden complications due to high blood alcohol concentrations.

While investigators are waiting for official lab reports, Aspen Police Chief Thomas Cahill speculates that the death of the two Western State College students was a result of absorbing hot-tub water that was intentionally mixed with alcohol, which he says is a popular trend among college-age drinkers. "We've been seeing this around the country lately, unfortunately today we are realizing it in our own town," said Cahill at a press conference this afternoon.

According to national reports, young party-goers have discovered that by pouring moderate amounts of alcohol into their hot tubs and immediately soaking themselves in the water, they become quickly intoxicated.

Dr. Raoul Grenvick of Aspen General Hospital confirms that skin absorption of alcohol through heated water has a more severe effect than oral consumption of alcoholic beverages. "When mixed with hot water, ethanol concentrates easily pass through the skin and are transported directly into the bloodstream more rapidly than when ingested through the stomach." Dr. Grenvick also stated that high temperatures effect the body in ways that speed up the intoxication process. "My conclusion is that by soaking in the hot water-alcohol mixture, these kids absorbed more ethanol than their bodies could process, which resulted in acute physiological malfunctions."

Preliminary coroner reports show that Allen and Burchfield both had blood alcohol levels of slightly higher than 0.5%, though the autopsies found there was a minimum amount of alcohol inside their stomachs. While there are no witnesses, Chief Cahill is inclined to believe that both the girl's deaths came after lapsing into unconsciousness.

A copy of the police report made by officers at the scene lists as evidence an empty 750 ml bottle of vodka found beside the tub, along with two half-full cans of beer.

Neither of the families have been available for interview, though a press conference is planned for tomorrow morning at City Hall. In the meantime, friends of the two students have set up a memorial on campus to celebrate their lives, and also warn of the dangers of alcohol-related accidents. Mandy Powel, a sophomore at Western State, says she is familiar with the hot-tub method of getting drunk, but is surprised that it is so dangerous. "A lot of my friends are into soaking in booze-laced hot tubs, especially now when it's cold and we are on winter break."

Ryan Doubleday, who was dating Susan Burchfield before the accident, offers another perspective on the death of his girlfriend and her best friend. "I am saddened by this loss, but I think now would be a good time to raise alcohol awareness around campus, to prevent any more tragedies."