TX - 4 children die of pesticide gas poisoning, 6 hospitalized, Amarillo

[Indy Anna]

How sad. Appears accidental.

AFD said someone at the residence had sprayed a pesticide, which is now identified as Weevil-Cide, containing aluminum phosphide underneath the house. At some point, a person living at the home tried to wash away the pesticide with water. This caused a chemical reaction that created phosphine gas, which is extremely dangerous.

http://abc7amarillo.com/news/local/3-people-dead-in-hazmat-incident-in-northeast-amarillo

http://amarillo.com/news/2017-01-02...family-members-stable-one-transported-lubbock

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/gas-poisoning-amarillo-texas-four-children-dead-others-injured/

 

[monkeypants]

Horrific. Absolutely horrific.

 

[Indy Anna]

According to Justice of the Peace Gary Jackson, those who died ranged in age from 7 years old to 17 years old. They have been identified as Felipe Balderas, 7; Josue Balderas, 11; Johnnie Balderas, 9; and Yasmeen Balderas, 17.

[...]

Jackson said the mother is still alive, but in serious condition. She has been airlifted to a Lubbock hospital. The father is in intensive care, but is in stable condition. The four other children who were in the home are also in stable condition in ICU.

http://abc7amarillo.com/news/local/3-people-dead-in-hazmat-incident-in-northeast-amarillo

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Ugg......this is so terrible.....was just reading about it in DM. Thankfully the person checked on the family or they all would have been dead. So sad that four children died.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

f

 

[TTF14]

How awful!

 

[monkeypants]

Sounds like a agonizing way for these children to die

 

[Hatfield]

I have a fear of this sort of thing and I hate pesticides even though I know they sometimes have to be used.

My fear comes from the time I once tried to "bomb" my small apartment I used to live in and I was sick for a week or more.

I followed all the instructions and aired the place out after I had set the bombs off and I still got very sick and felt a mild case of poisoning from the chemicals. Ever since that time I never use those bombs and I only use pesticides very sparingly.

Its a constant battle we humans have against bugs and varmints entering the home and it takes careful consideration when fighting them off.

I can see how mistakes are made because we humans get fed up with some bug infestations and we try to take drastic measures. Its a fine line we face when fighting them.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Police investigating where father obtained professional grade pesticide

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...l-grade-MOUSE-PELLETS-dad-scattered-home.html

 

[Rott Mom]

Four children? 2017 - I thought it would start better than this. RIP beautiful children.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

"After neighbors complained about the smell, Balderas used a hose to wash out the pellets. They reacted with the water, creating phosphine gas that killed Felipe Balderas, seven; Johnnie Balderas, nine; Josue Balderas, 11 and Yasmeen Balderas, 17."

"One child died at the scene. The three other siblings died at a hospital."

"Balderas's wife, Martha, was left on life support but was responding to questions by squeezing her hand on Monday morning, an update from a GoFundMe page said."

"Peter and four other children were in stable condition in hospital"

"Phosphine gas can cause respiratory failure and in severe cases can cause a pulmonary edema, which fills the lungs with fluid."


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...PELLETS-dad-scattered-home.html#ixzz4Unbt2nSL
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[Indy Anna]

I have a fear of this sort of thing and I hate pesticides even though I know they sometimes have to be used.

My fear comes from the time I once tried to "bomb" my small apartment I used to live in and I was sick for a week or more.

I followed all the instructions and aired the place out after I had set the bombs off and I still got very sick and felt a mild case of poisoning from the chemicals. Ever since that time I never use those bombs and I only use pesticides very sparingly.

Its a constant battle we humans have against bugs and varmints entering the home and it takes careful consideration when fighting them off.

I can see how mistakes are made because we humans get fed up with some bug infestations and we try to take drastic measures. Its a fine line we face when fighting them.

I also rent and have had an infestation of drug store beetles for several years. At first, I informed management and they had the exterminator spray in my home for them. When I came home from work on the day they sprayed, I began gagging and coughing as I walked toward the kitchen. The insecticide made no difference in the population of beetles, so I decided the insecticide was more likely to kill me than the bugs. I've had to toss out a lot of food - some that had never been opened before, but the population of beetles has slowly diminished over the years. I simply toss out infested food, keep target foods in airtight, impenetrable containers and keep a damp paper towel handy to wash the tiny beetles down the drain when I find them on walls, windows and counter tops.

I've also used pesticides to keep other vermin at bay, but use the least invasive measure possible.

I didn't realize until reading about this incident that some pesticides can react with water. The father of those children must feel so, so horrible. I hope he and the rest of the family recover completely and he can forgive himself.

 

[Indy Anna]

Poisoning survivors could face lifelong health issues

Dr. Thomas G. Martin said exposure to the gas could cause permanent lung injury, heart injury, brain injury and blood pressure problems according to the available literature he has reviewed, but that there is a general lack of information on long-term effects.

http://amarillo.com/news/2017-01-04/poisoning-survivors-could-face-lifelong-health-issues

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Poisoning survivors could face lifelong health issues


http://amarillo.com/news/2017-01-04/poisoning-survivors-could-face-lifelong-health-issues

This family will never be the same in any way. This is so sad. i don't know what else to say.