State Police Link Mountainair Response to 3 Dead, 18 Hospitalized in Albuquerque Area

Three people died and 18 first responders were hospitalized Wednesday morning after police responded to a suspected overdose at a home on Honlon Avenue in mountainair, about 65 miles southeast of Albuquerque. One person in the home was revived with Narcan before responders began feeling ill.

Honlon Avenue Response

New Mexico State Police spokesperson Amanda Richards said investigators believe the substance may be transmitted through contact and do not believe it to be airborne. Four unresponsive people were found at the home, and three of them were later reported dead.

Eighteen first responders were taken to University of New Mexico Hospital on Wednesday morning. Two were in serious condition, and the town said authorities did not believe there was a communitywide hazmat issue or public danger at that time.

University of New Mexico Hospital

Albuquerque Fire Rescue HazMat teams were assisting at the scene while responders were quarantined, evaluated and monitored at University of New Mexico Hospital. Torrance County sheriff David Frazee said, "Evidently, they must have inhaled some toxins or something from the scene," and Mountainair mayor Peter Nieto said, "They had direct contact with the individual who passed, and they were feeling lightheaded, headaches, nausea, things like that,".

The town also posted that, "Based on the information currently available, all indications are pointing toward narcotics as a possible factor," while investigators continued working to identify the substance involved. For people tied to the scene, the immediate issue is medical monitoring for the responders who were exposed and the investigation into what they encountered inside the home.