It’s a strange and mysterious substance that worries Mountainair, a small rural New Mexico town of 1,000 people. This event caused the death of several of its residents and the authorities are still trying to clarify the situation. On May 20, New Mexico State Police reported the deaths of three people in a home where the notorious unknown substance was located.
Several potentially exposed first responders also fell ill, while a dozen people had to be briefly quarantined. The authorities have not yet identified the substance – which could be linked to a drug – and want to reassure the public’s safety. Gizmodo returns in an article on the situation.
“At this time, investigators believe the substance could be transmitted by contact and do not believe it is spread through the airsaid Officer Wilson Silver.
A strange contamination
According to authorities, emergency services were called on May 20 due to a suspected overdose. They initially found four people unconscious inside the house, three of whom were later pronounced dead. The fourth person is currently being treated at the University of New Mexico (UNMH) Hospital in Albuquerque – located about 60 miles northwest of Mountainair.
Several first responders exposed to this substance have reported symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, coughing and dizziness. In total, at least 18 first responders were quarantined and examined at the same Albuquerque hospital. Most were nevertheless able to leave the establishment subsequently, having presented no symptoms.
The head of Mountainair’s emergency medical services, Josh Lewis, remained hospitalized overnight, the city’s mayor explained. Several UNMH nurses who came into contact with the substance also experienced symptoms.
The mayor also declared that neither exposure to carbon monoxide nor natural gas appeared to be the cause of the symptoms presented by those affected. He said he saw narcotics at the scene and suspected those substances played a role in the deaths. However, authorities have not yet confirmed the nature of the substance or determined whether it contributed to the deaths or illnesses.
