Famous Professional Poker Player Dies In Freak Hairdryer Accident

A famous Russian poker player has died as the result of electrocution after using a hairdryer while in the bath.

Lilya Novikova's body was found in her home in Moscow by an elderly neighbour who went round to her house to check on her, the BBC reports.

Known as Lia by her fans, Novikova is reported to have suffered a fatal electric shock while in the bath tub. Her body was found with a hairdryer in the flat that she lived in with her parents.

Instagram/liay5

According to the Russian state news agency TASS, per CNN, a source said: "During the initial examination, traces of an electrical injury were found on the victim's body.

"Relatives became agitated when the girl stopped responding to phone calls and asked her neighbour to check on her."

The poker player was a well known personality on Twitch, a live streaming channel and community for online gamers.

Russia's Investigative Committee (SK) confirmed she had been electrocuted, with all reports suggesting that it was an accident.

The Russian daily newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets, per the BBC, says the neighbour who found her is a family friend of Novikova's parents and has a key to their flat.

Another online gamer, Team Pokerstars Pro player Liv Boeree, commented: "Utterly heartbreaking. She was such a sweet, beautiful and talented girl who worked so hard to promote the game. Rest in peace lady."

Ms Novikova had an engineering degree from Moscow's Bauman University and also enjoyed rowing and snowboarding.

She was also prominent on Instagram following, with over 17,000 followers. She would often make videos and post them online with tips for other poker fans.

Instagram/liay5

Novikova started playing games at a young age and had built up a large following on her Twitch channel. She had made near to $100,000 in live earnings, and according to the online poker database Hendon Mob, her best ever live cash was $54,068

The sad news comes after a spate of deaths in Russia involving people using electrical appliances in the bath, with fatal consequences. Earlier this year, a woman was found dead after using her phone in the bath, while the charging lead was still plugged in.

The 20-year-old shopworker, named only as Anastasia, was found by her mother, holding onto her phone, which was still plugged into the wall. According to reports she died from a severe electric shock.

Topics: World News, Social Media

Amelia Ward

Amelia is a journalist at LADbible. After studying journalism at Liverpool John Moores and Salford Uni (don't ask), she went into PR and then the world of music. After a few years working on festivals and events, she went back to her roots. In her spare time, Amelia likes music, Liverpool FC, and spending good, quality time with her cat, Paul. You can contact Amelia at [email protected].

@amelialadbible