Authorities have confirmed that fentanyl and methamphetamine were present at a home in rural New Mexico where first responders became sick after responding to an overdose call. The incident occurred in Mountainair, east of Albuquerque, on Wednesday.
Three individuals were found dead inside the home, while a fourth person and one of the emergency responders remained hospitalized as of Friday. The responders exhibited symptoms including nausea and dizziness, which a doctor said most closely resembled fentanyl exposure.
Dr. Steve McLaughlin, Chief Medical Officer at the University of New Mexico Hospital, stated that authorities were working under the assumption that fentanyl was to blame. He noted that the substance is likely absorbed through eyes, nose, mucous membranes, or inhalation, rather than through the skin.
More than a dozen first responders were quarantined and decontaminated after the response. New Mexico State Police Chief Matt Broom said investigators found no immediate evidence of drug manufacturing in the home, and there was no threat to the public.
