New Mexico State Police responded to the home in Mountainair, where officials say several people died and more than a dozen first responders were exposed to an unknown substance (AP)

Three people have died and more than a dozen first responders have been isolated and assessed for possible exposure to an unknown substance after authorities responded to a suspected drug overdose at a rural New Mexico home.According to New Mexico State Police, four people were found unconscious inside a residence east of Albuquerque. Three were pronounced dead, while a fourth person was taken to a hospital in Albuquerque for treatment.During the emergency response, several firefighters and EMTs reportedly began experiencing symptoms such as nausea, coughing, vomiting and dizziness after coming in contact with the substance.University of New Mexico Hospital officials confirmed that 23 exposed individuals were evaluated and decontaminated after being transported to the facility.Most were first responders who showed no symptoms and were later discharged. Three symptomatic patients continued to be monitored Wednesday evening, while two first responders were listed in critical condition.

substance yet to be identified

Authorities said investigators were still trying to determine the nature of the substance involved.“At this time, investigators believe the substance may have been transmitted through contact and do not believe it could be airborne,” New Mexico State Police officer Wilson Silver said, according to news agency AP.Mountainair Mayor Peter Nieto said officials have ruled out exposure to carbon monoxide and natural gas but have not yet identified the ingredients.“They don’t know if it’s drugs. They don’t know if it’s something else.” They don’t know if it’s a mixture of the two,” Nieto said, according to the AP.The mayor also said that EMTs released from the hospital were unable to take home any items, including jewelry and glasses worn during the response, due to contamination concerns.

First responders describe horrific scene

Antoinette Alguire, a firefighter with Mountainair’s volunteer fire department, told the AP that she helped give CPR to a woman outside the home and later watched emergency workers fall ill.“I think we need to start wearing hazmat suits and wearing oxygen on these calls,” she said. “It’s getting to the point where we just have to live in fear, even to save lives.”MountainAir EMS Chief Josh Lewis, who was reportedly the first person to enter the residence, remained hospitalized overnight for observation.Officials said there is no threat to the wider public, although early indications suggest drugs may have played a role in the deaths.

Community shaken by tragedy

The incident unfolded in a rural subdivision east of Albuquerque, where police tape surrounded the home as multiple law enforcement agencies continued their investigation.Mayor Nieto described the community as “united” and said that the emotional impact of the tragedy has deeply affected local residents and city employees.“This kind of tragedy is horrific,” he said.The incident also renewed concerns over drug abuse in New Mexico.Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the state recorded the fourth-highest drug overdose death rate in the United States, with 775 deaths in 2024.