In Mountain Air, New Mexico, three people died and more than a dozen first responders were quarantined after a suspected drug overdose at a home. New Mexico State Police reported that four individuals were found unresponsive, with one receiving treatment at a hospital. First responders exhibited symptoms like nausea and dizziness after exposure to an unidentified substance.
University of New Mexico Hospital confirmed that 23 exposed patients were tested and decontaminated, with most later discharged. Among those hospitalized, two first responders are in critical condition. Local officials, including Mayor Peter Nieto, clarified that the exposure was not due to carbon monoxide or natural gas. Hazmat teams are working to identify the substance, believed to be contact-transmissible.
Initial investigations indicate drugs may have played a role in the deaths, but authorities confirmed no ongoing threat to the public. The mayor highlighted the broader issues of addiction and substance abuse affecting communities and emphasized the need for support and education to facilitate change.
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