Ten people were injured, including a few members of the emergency services, in the incident that took place in Gloucester County, New Jersey. One victim was left in a critical condition.
Deptford Township Police believe a man sealed the windows and doors of his parents’ home.
The suspect is then believed to have emptied quantities of bleach and ammonia into the sinks and the building’s bathtub in an attempt to harm himself and his family.
Police were called to the scene in the 400 block of Dickinson Road in Deptford, at approximately 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 2, following reports of an unconscious 21-year-old male.
Investigators said the man’s father discovered the suspect and called for emergency assistance, according to ABC6 News.
He was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition.
Police and paramedics themselves reportedly began to experience difficulty breathing and needed to evacuate the scene of the incident.
The suspect’s parents, sister and her boyfriend joined several first responders requiring treatment at the hospital, but all are expected to make a full recovery.
A neighbor told ABC6 News: “I looked out the door and started smelling an ungodly smell.”
They added: “I was thinking it smelled like sewer gases or something chemical and it was taking my breath away a little bit.”
Police wrote in a statement: “As always, we would like to thank Gloucester County EMS and the Hazmat team, along with the Deptford Township Fire Department and Deptford Township OEM, for their assistance.”
Newsweek has contacted Deptford Township Police and the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, which is also investigating the incident, for comment.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns inhaling chloramine gas, which can be produced from mixing household cleaning agents, can cause harm and even death, depending on the quantity of gas released and the duration of exposure.
The CDC has reported a 20 percent spike in the number of calls to U.S. poison control centers in early 2020 because of exposure to household cleaners, attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, death from mixing bleach and ammonia is very rare.
The incident occurred after two workers were found dead following a hazardous materials incident at a manufacturing plant in North Carolina.
Also in September, an overturned truck in California spilled over 5,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate, prompting officials wearing hazmat suits to close State Route 198.
If you are thinking about suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255). The line is available 24 hours every day.
