One dead, two hospitalized after suspected Fentanyl overdose

SANTA ANA, CA (FOX 11) - The Santa Ana Police Department got a call for help after a woman with three small children, woke up Wednesday morning to find three men unconscious in an apartment located off Fairview street.

Two of the men, 18 and 25-years-old were taken to the hospital. They're not reported in stable condition. But paramedics found a 30-year-old man already dead.

He was bleeding from his nose; then when the first responders noticed drug paraphernalia and a white powder on the table, they feared they were dealing with the highly toxic substance, Fentanyl.

The women and children were immediately evacuated.

Orange County Fire sent Hazmat team members back inside, dressed and sealed into suits with portable oxygen tanks on their backs.

They sent samples of the powder to a drug lab where it was confirmed to be the synthetic opiod.

Fentanyl is used as a prescription pain killer. But drug dealers also use cheaply manufactured fentanyl to cut with other drugs, like heroin. The problem for the user is Fentanyl might make a dose stronger than expected, leading to overdose.

Fentanyl is said to be so also highly toxic, that only a couple of granules of the substance can affect a person.

Captain Gary Lee of the Orange County fire said he has read articles that warn that first responders have unknowingly come in contact with the substance, perhaps in a pat down, gone home and then hours later exhibited symptoms of exposure.

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