Fentanyl, Meth Discovered at Rural New Mexico Home Where 3 People Were Found Dead

Fentanyl and methamphetamine were found at a home in rural New Mexico where three people were discovered dead this week and crews responding to a suspected overdose became sick, authorities said Friday.

Authorities in Mountainair, a town of less than 1,000 south of Albuquerque, were working “under the assumption” that fentanyl was to blame. First responders’ symptoms ranged from mild to severe, University of New Mexico Hospital Chief Medical Officer Steve McLaughlin said at a news conference.

“It’s probably not absorbed through your skin, but it would be absorbed through your eyes, nose, mucous membranes, or if you inhale it,” McLaughlin told The Associated Press.

The incident took place Wednesday in Mountainair when emergency personnel were called to the residence due to a report of an unconscious man. The home was quickly deemed a hazardous materials site, and officials later confirmed that four individuals were discovered unresponsive inside the home, with three later confirmed dead. The fourth person was still hospitalized as of Thursday.

Two of the victims were identified as Mika Rascon, 51, and Georgia Rascon, 49. The name of the third fatality has not been released, and the cause and manner of their deaths have not been determined, authorities said.

Laboratory testing continues to uncover the exact nature of the substance found at the residence.

First responders who entered the home displayed symptoms including coughing, vomiting, and dizziness. Medical personnel decontaminated nearly two dozen people, mostly firefighters, EMTs, and law enforcement officers.

University of New Mexico Hospital officials said most showed no symptoms after evaluation, even as three were initially admitted, including Mountainair Fire Chief Josh Lewis.

Antonette Alguire, a volunteer firefighter in Mountainair, said Wednesday that she witnessed some EMTs and firefighters coughing and vomiting after they were outside the house.

Torrance County Fire Dispatch responded to a report of a 60-year-old man who was unconscious but breathing. Responders revealed they found three additional unconscious people at the residence, with two possibly not breathing. Naloxone was requested and administered, which revived one individual. Naloxone reverses opioid overdoses but does not help with overdoses of other substances.

Mountainair Mayor Peter Nieto said he saw drugs at the home, but did not note the types of drugs. He ruled out carbon monoxide or natural gas exposure as possible causes for the health issues experienced by first responders.

New Mexico State Police spokesperson Wilson Silver said there was no public safety threat, and that investigators do not think the mysterious substance was airborne, with hazmat teams later noting the substance seems to be contact-based.

A Mountainair town hall was closed Thursday so first responders could grieve.

New Mexico is one of the nation’s epicenters for drug overdoses, with the fourth-highest rate in the nation in 2024, amounting to 775 deaths, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

State police and local law enforcement are figuring out a timeline for what happened in the home. It is unclear how the substance was introduced, whether it was a single compound or mixture, and why it affected those who came into contact with it.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.