Hazardous Substance Used In Apparent Suicide In Washington D.C. Sends 13 To Hospitals

One man is dead in an apparent suicide, and 13 people, including 11 fire personnel, were taken to hospitals after a hazardous material was found in a single-family dwelling in Northwest.

D.C. fire department spokesman Alan Etter said authorities were called to the home in the 4300 block of 36th Street about 4:40 p.m. Monday. A dead man was found with a small vial of the substance lying next to him.

Fire officials said police left the home and summoned the hazmat crew, which is standard procedure.

Etter said 11 fire personnel, one police officer and one neighbor were taken to local hospitals as a precaution.

Etter said because a police investigation is under way, the fire department will not identify the dangerous substance.

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D.C. Fire Hazmat Teams responded to an apparent suicide in the District after fire officials said the man may have killed himself using cyanide.

Police got a call around 4:30 p.m. on Monday for an unconscious male at a house in the 4300 block of 36th Street. Two officers responded and found a man laying next to a small vile of cyanide. Immediately, fire officials said police left the home and called in the hazmat crew, which is standard procedure.

Crews were taking measurements inside the home to detect the amount of hazardous material in the house, so crews can continue their investigation. Lt. Erich Miller said it appears cyanide was ingested by the victim.

“It’s really dangerous. I hope it’s a lie because that’s really scary and just imagine it if can go to a human, it could go to a car so we could probably catch it. So it’s kind of scary,” said onlooker Eudi Pena.

No one was evacuated from their home, although the street was shut down.

“Over the years we have had situations. Hazmat is a busy unit and we have come across anthrax letters in the past, so they are very well trained to handle this type of evidence,” said Miller.

Miller also said there is a concern because cyanide is normally found in liquid form, but could take a gaseous form and become airborne. Officials do not yet know where this particular batch of cyanide originated from, but say the chemical is a popular substance.

Police have a tentative identification of the dead man, but his name is not yet being released.

One man, whose car is inside the police line, said he has never seen anything like the current situation. “I can’t get my vehicle. It’s unfortunate it happened,” said Haywood King.
“Very scary; so close to the school. It’s just very scary. On the streets of D.C., I’ve never heard of anything like this,” said King.