MOUNTAINAIR, N.M. – Fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl and methamphetamine were found inside a New Mexico home where three people died and 18 first responders became sick, according to authorities.
The incident happened May 20 in Mountainair, east of Albuquerque, where New Mexico State Police say four people were initially found unresponsive inside the home. Three died, while a fourth was taken to an Albuquerque hospital for treatment.
State Police Chief Matt Broom said preliminary findings point to a powdered opioid substance as the likely cause of both the deaths and the illnesses among responders.
“This incident serves as a reminder of the risks these drugs pose to the community as a whole,” said Broom. “These men and women responded to a dangerous situation while working to protect lives and secure the scene. We especially recognize the first responders who became sick while carrying out their duties.”
First responders reported symptoms including nausea and dizziness. A doctor who evaluated them, University of New Mexico Hospital Chief Medical Officer Steve McLaughlin, said those symptoms most closely resembled fentanyl exposure, though investigators are still working to determine exactly how the exposure occurred.
McLaughlin said the responders’ symptoms ranged from mild to slightly more severe.
“Fentanyl is particularly dangerous because it requires only a tiny, tiny amount to cause an overdose,” said McLaughlin.
Officials noted that firefighters, particularly those in direct contact with patients, were among those affected, while no law enforcement officers reported becoming sick. McLaughlin added that it is uncommon for fentanyl exposure through skin contact alone to cause serious effects.
The case comes as New Mexico continues to see high overdose rates. In 2024, the state recorded 775 drug overdose deaths, the fourth-highest rate in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Fentanyl is a really serious public health emergency across the country. It certainly is a public health emergency here in New Mexico,” McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin also emphasized the importance of quick action in suspected overdoses, urging people to call 911 immediately and administer naloxone.
