College student in Washington died of carbon monoxide poisoning, state officials confirm

By Brammhi Balarajan and Asher Moskowitz, CNN

(CNN) — A student at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, died of carbon monoxide poisoning and two other students were hospitalized with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning Monday night, the Washington State Patrol said Friday.

The Washington State Patrol said in a news release that the medical examiner’s office confirmed carbon monoxide poisoning caused the death of 21-year-old Jonathan Rodriguez. The two students who were hospitalized with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning were a 20-year-old woman and a 19-year-old woman.

A student residence manager called campus police after being unable to contact students, the college said in a news release Tuesday. Police then broke down the door and performed emergency CPR around 8:30 p.m., Evergreen Police Chief David Brunckhurst said in the release. The officer who performed CPR was hospitalized and released Tuesday morning.

“With the on-scene investigative phase complete and the incident scene turned back over to college officials, this will likely be the last WSP update on the matter until the entire investigative process is complete and we are able to release full findings to the public,” the Washington State Patrol said in a news release.

CO poisoning has already taken its toll globally this year. Three marines were found dead in a vehicle outside a convenience store in North Carolina earlier this year, and a British couple died after the room next door at their hotel was sprayed with pesticide.

Earlier in the day, a contractor working on campus responded to carbon monoxide alarms, according to campus officials.

“This is a tragedy, and we grieve for our students and families,” said Evergreen President John Carmichael. “The safety of students, staff and faculty remain Evergreen’s top priority.”

Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs due to the buildup of gas in poorly ventilated spaces – it can be caused by anything from leaking chimneys to unvented gas space heaters. More than 400 Americans die from carbon monoxide every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Although carbon monoxide poisoning has no odor, taste or color, symptoms are often described as flu-like, such as headache, dizziness, and vomiting, according to the CDC.

Many people do not realize they have been exposed to carbon monoxide until it is too late. In the case of the British couple on holiday in Egypt, although the room next door was sealed off with masking tape, a conjoining door was enough for the ‘Lambda’ pesticide to become deadly. They had returned to their room to retire for the night, only to be found gravely ill by their daughter the next day.

In November 2022, three Americans staying at an Airbnb in Mexico were found dead after security guards reported to the police a strong smell of gas. Kandace Florence, one of the victims, had even described feeling like she had been drugged to her boyfriend earlier in the morning. Her boyfriend later requested a wellness check after not hearing back from her, but by the time emergency services arrived, all three were found dead on the scene.

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