Two individuals were found dead and another critically ill in Brighton Tower 1, an apartment building in Syracuse, New York.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene and found that three police officers and one firefighter fell ill within 30 minutes of exposure, displaying symptoms consistent with a tranquilizer overdose.
The officers and firefighter were transported to the hospital, where they were treated and later released.
However, several hospital personnel also became ill during the decontamination process, prompting the closure of the emergency room for over two hours to prevent further exposure.
A total of nine exposures were reported, including a nurse and an EMT.
The exact nature of the unknown substance is yet to be confirmed, but authorities believe it is consistent with a tranquilizer overdose.
Drug samples taken at the scene are currently being tested, and a HAZMAT team was called in to identify the substance.
Xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer commonly used to cut fentanyl, was mentioned during the press conference as a possible culprit.
The scene is being treated as a homicide, and drug distributors can be charged with the overdoses.
The use of tranquilizers such as xylazine in illicit drugs has been on the rise in the community, and they are known to cause severe damage to blood vessels, leading to gaping wounds and amputations.
Additional firefighters were called to the scene, and the sixth floor of the apartment building was evacuated as firefighters were unable to identify a specific hazard.
After monitoring the air, sixth floor residents were allowed to return to their homes before 6 pm. The investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the deaths and symptoms.
»Two individuals are found dead in Brighton Tower 1«
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