New Mexico State Police respond to a home in Mountaineer, where authorities say several people died and more than a dozen first responders were exposed to an unknown substance (AP)
Three people have died and more than a dozen first responders have been isolated and evaluated for possible exposure to an unknown substance after authorities responded to a drug overdose at a rural New Mexico home.According to New Mexico State Police, four people were found unconscious inside the home east of Albuquerque. Three people were declared dead, while the fourth was transferred to a hospital in Albuquerque to receive treatment.While responding to emergencies, many firefighters and EMTs reportedly began experiencing symptoms such as nausea, coughing, vomiting, and dizziness after coming into contact with the substance.Officials at the University of New Mexico Hospital confirmed that 23 individuals exposed to contamination were evaluated and decontaminated after being transferred to the facility.Most were first responders who had no symptoms and were later discharged from the hospital. Three symptomatic patients continued to be monitored Wednesday evening, while two first responders were listed in serious condition.
The material has not yet been determined
Authorities said investigators are still trying to determine the nature of the substance in question.
“At this time, investigators believe the substance may be transmitted by contact and do not believe it is airborne,” New Mexico State Police Trooper Wilson Silver said, according to the Associated Press.Mountain Air Mayor Peter Nieto said officials have ruled out exposure to carbon monoxide and natural gas, but have not yet identified the substance.“They don’t know if it’s drugs. They don’t know if it’s something else. They don’t know if it’s drugs or not.”
“They don’t know if it’s a combination of the two,” Nieto said, according to the Associated Press.The mayor also said EMTs released from the hospital were unable to take any belongings worn during the response, including jewelry and eyeglasses, due to contamination concerns.
First responders describe the frightening scene
Antonette Allguerre, a firefighter with the Mountainair Volunteer Fire Department, told the AP that she helped perform CPR on a woman outside the home and later saw emergency personnel fall ill.“I think we’re going to have to start wearing hazmat suits on these calls and wearing oxygen,” she said. “We’ve gotten to this point where we just have to live in fear, even saving lives.”Mountainair EMS Chief Josh Lewis, who was reportedly the first to enter the residence, remained at the hospital overnight for observation.Authorities have confirmed there is no threat to the wider public, although initial indications are that drugs may have played a role in the deaths.
A community shaken by tragedy
The incident occurred in a rural area east of Albuquerque, where police tape surrounded the home while multiple law enforcement agencies continued their investigation.Mayor Nieto described the community as “tight-knit” and said the emotional impact of the tragedy hit local residents and city employees hard.“Such a tragedy is horrific,” he added.The incident also renewed concerns about drug use in New Mexico.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows the state had the fourth-highest drug overdose death rate in the United States in 2024, with 775 deaths.
