3 dead in New Mexico and first responders decontaminated after exposure to unknown substance

MOUNTAINAIR, N.M. (AP) — Three people are dead and more than a dozen first responders had to be quarantined and assessed Wednesday for possible exposure to an unidentified substance after being called to a suspected drug overdose at a rural New Mexico home, authorities said.

New Mexico State Police said three of the four people found unresponsive inside the home east of Albuquerque died, while the fourth was being treated at a hospital in Albuquerque.

During the response, first responders were exposed to the substance and began experiencing symptoms including nausea and dizziness, authorities said.

Antonette Alguire, a firefighter with Mountainair’s volunteer fire department, helped to give CPR to a woman outside the home and watched as EMTs and firefighters started coughing, vomiting and becoming dizzy at the heliport. She said she never went inside the home and hasn’t experienced any symptoms but described it as scary.

“I guess we’re just going to have to start wearing hazmat suits into these calls and wearing oxygen,” she said. “It’s getting to that point where we just have to live in fear, even saving lives.”

Officials at University of New Mexico Hospital confirmed that 23 patients who were exposed were assessed and decontaminated after being transported to the hospital. Most of those were first responders who were showing no symptoms and were later discharged. Medical teams continued to monitor three symptomatic patients Wednesday e...