What Could be the Chemical that Killed Irene?
Salem , Ma.(United States):
What is the chemical, where did it come from and did it cause the death of a Salem woman over the weekend?
Those are just some of the questions people there are asking after four people from the same apartment complex were sent to the hospital on Friday.
81-year old Irene Schock was taken to the hospital Friday after breathing fumes caused by what police suspect was a chemical reaction. She died the next day.
Those who knew her say she had been in perfect health. But we won't know whether that mysterious chemical is to blame until autopsy reports are back. While officials aren't sure whether it was intentional, they also don't believe others will be targeted.
Four elderly people living in a Salem apartment building were hospitalized Friday when they came in contact with a mysterious substance. Since then, authorities have sent samples to labs in three states including Pennsylvania.
"You don't see a situation like this crop up very often," said McCook County States Attorney Roger Gerlach.
Gerlach says the instance is unusual, but authorities are doing everything they can to get questions answered.
"For people to be concerned, I don't blame them. This is an unusual situation but to think that law enforcement isn't proceeding with great haste in all aspect of the case would be untrue because they are," he said.
At this point, authorities say it is too early to determine whether foul play was involved and they haven't named any suspects. The message Monday is that neighbors should not be worried.
"If somebody thinks that this was just some type of random incident I would have a great deal of difficulty believing that. It was just some random, somebody was just pickin' out anybody because they happened to live in Salem, or wherever I don't think it's that type of situation at all," said Gerlach.
It could be more than a week before lab results come back in. We'll keep you posted on the latest information as it is released.
Oct 03, 2005
KELOLAND TV, SD
Salem , Ma.(United States):
What is the chemical, where did it come from and did it cause the death of a Salem woman over the weekend?
Those are just some of the questions people there are asking after four people from the same apartment complex were sent to the hospital on Friday.
81-year old Irene Schock was taken to the hospital Friday after breathing fumes caused by what police suspect was a chemical reaction. She died the next day.
Those who knew her say she had been in perfect health. But we won't know whether that mysterious chemical is to blame until autopsy reports are back. While officials aren't sure whether it was intentional, they also don't believe others will be targeted.
Four elderly people living in a Salem apartment building were hospitalized Friday when they came in contact with a mysterious substance. Since then, authorities have sent samples to labs in three states including Pennsylvania.
"You don't see a situation like this crop up very often," said McCook County States Attorney Roger Gerlach.
Gerlach says the instance is unusual, but authorities are doing everything they can to get questions answered.
"For people to be concerned, I don't blame them. This is an unusual situation but to think that law enforcement isn't proceeding with great haste in all aspect of the case would be untrue because they are," he said.
At this point, authorities say it is too early to determine whether foul play was involved and they haven't named any suspects. The message Monday is that neighbors should not be worried.
"If somebody thinks that this was just some type of random incident I would have a great deal of difficulty believing that. It was just some random, somebody was just pickin' out anybody because they happened to live in Salem, or wherever I don't think it's that type of situation at all," said Gerlach.
It could be more than a week before lab results come back in. We'll keep you posted on the latest information as it is released.
Oct 03, 2005
KELOLAND TV, SD
