Mysterious substance kills three and isolates rescuers in the US

According to New Mexico State Police, officers were initially called to respond to a suspected overdose involving an “unknown substance.” When they arrived at the scene, they found four people unconscious inside the house. Three of them already dead, while the fourth was taken to a hospital in Albuquerque.

During the treatment, several rescuers began to experience symptoms such as nausea and dizziness after coming into contact with the substance. According to local authorities, the 18 first responders who arrived at the scene to treat the victims later had to be taken to hospitals and quarantined for medical evaluation. Two of them are in serious condition.

The University of New Mexico Hospital reported that, as of Wednesday evening, 23 people exposed to the still unknown material had undergone decontamination procedures. Most patients were discharged after medical evaluation, but three people remained under observation.

Authorities stated that, so far, there is no evidence that the substance is transmitted through the air. According to state police, investigators believe the exposure must have occurred through direct contact. A security perimeter was set up around the residence and access to the area was blocked.

Technical teams from the Albuquerque Fire Department were sent to the scene to carry out an extensive decontamination operation and try to identify the substance. To enter the residence, the agents wore maximum protection suits, classified as “level A”, recommended for incidents involving highly dangerous materials. According to a statement published on social media by the Albuquerque Fire Department, technicians specialized in hazardous materials collected samples, worked to identify and remove the substance and carried out decontamination procedures at the property.

Mountainair Mayor Peter Nieto said on social media that the first signs point to narcotics as a possible factor related to the deaths. He stressed, however, that there is no threat to the population outside the isolated area. Authorities are still working to officially identify the substance found at the scene and are investigating the circumstances of the deaths.