3 dead and nearly 20 first responders hospitalized after exposure to ‘unidentified substance’ in New Mexico
An incident involving a noxious substance in New Mexico has left three people dead and caused a large number of first responders to require medical treatment.
Nearly 20 emergency workers have been quarantined following the incident on Wednesday (May 20), which took place in a rural part of the state as authorities responded to reports of a suspected drug overdose in the town of Mountainair.
State police officers attended the address just after 11am, following a request for assistance from Torrance County Sheriff’s Office regarding a residential overdose from an 'unknown substance'.
Inside the home, they found four people who were unresponsive, with three of them pronounced dead at the scene, according to a police statement. But while the substance at the heart of this outbreak is unknown, its impact has been wide ranging.
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With so many dead in one home, a large number of first responders were in attendance at the scene and exposed to the unknown chemical, with 18 of these emergency workers potentially affected by it.
Many reported symptoms such as nausea and dizziness after attending the scene of the three deaths in Mountainair.
The fourth man in the home as well as a number of first responders were taken to the University of New Mexico Hospital for treatment, as well as to be quarantined, evaluated, and treated.
Two of these first responders are believed to be in a serious condition, according to local police.
Antoinette Alguire, a firefighter in Mountainair, told ABC News that she had given CPR to a woman outside the home where the toxic substance was located. Then she watched as paramedics and other first responders started to get sick.
Alguire said she saw her comrades coughing, vomiting and becoming dizzy after attending the scene, before decrying the terrifying situations that emergency workers often find themselves in.
“I guess we’re just going to have to start wearing hazmat suits into these calls and wearing oxygen,” she said. “It’s getting to that point where we just have to live in fear, even saving lives.”
While authorities are continuing to investigate which noxious chemical caused more than a dozen emergency workers to fall ill, New Mexico State Police's Officer Wilson Silver has offered some clarification to the public.
“At this time, investigators believe the substance may be transmitted through contact and do not believe it to be airborne," he said, adding that there were indications that the incident could be drug-related.
Mountainair's mayor, Peter Nieto, shared an update with his community late on Wednesday evening, with the town's chief paramedic being held overnight for treatment.
The statement reads: "There are still many unknowns at this time.
“We remain committed to being as transparent as possible, and as soon as we receive confirmed information, we will continue to share it with the public so our community stays informed.”
Many in the tight-knit community shared their frustration at the impact that drug abuse was having on their small corner of the world, to which Mayor Nieto responded: “But the reality is that addiction and substance abuse are issues affecting communities all across our state and nation.
“There is no simple or immediate solution. Lasting change requires family support, accountability, education, and most importantly, individuals who are willing to accept help.”
William Morgan