Paramedic here-

If you ever see a vehicle with an unconscious person in it, don’t initially try to open the door.

The chemicals she combined form hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide will fucking kill you. It is lethal in the range of 500-1000ppm, which is not very much. The levels generated by that chemical reaction in an enclosed space are significantly higher than that, and opening the door will release a cloud in your face. Three first responders were exposed in this incident- luckily they are ok.

If it is a chemical suicide, the person is already dead. There is no antidote. There is no use breaking the window or dragging them out. You will just become a patient. Hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs. If you smell that, you are way too fucking close.

If you see someone appearing unconscious in a vehicle, take a peek. She left a 5 gallon mixing bucket in the passenger seat, which should have tipped off responders. Generally with “detergent suicide” the victim leaves a note to not open the door, but not always, as in this case.

If you are truly concerned, Knock on the glass. Don’t be afraid to knock hard. Odds are they are asleep the likelihood of waking up someone who lives out on Long Island or upstate and is working doubles in the city, or just someone having a plain old overdose are much higher than it being a chemical suicide. Just call 911 and let them know what you see. They will determine what resources to send, and a clear concise description of the scene will start the ball rolling faster and get the right resources to you.

Do. Not. Open. The. Fucking. Door.

Thank you for posting this, I didn’t even know this (chemical suicide) was a thing. What a terrible way to go, especially if you end up hurting or killing innocent bystanders that are trying to help.

Hydrogen sulfide kills a lot of people. So many manure farm deaths jeez.

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/hydrogensulfide/default.html

So out of curiosity - what is the protocol when the first responders arrive? Do they have some sort of filtration or vacuum device that they use to vent out the car first?

TBH if they threw a rock (or shot a low-velocity projectile like a beanbag round) through a window and waited a second or two for it to vent it would probably be oky.

If this was indeed a suicide, I wish they would leave a note to warn first responders before they become sick or potentially die too.

Sad situation either way.

They basically evacuate the area and then someone wearing protective gear like an SCBA (air pack) goes in, opens the door and they allow it to ventilate with no one nearby to potentially get hurt.

how often does this kind of suicide actually happen.

This is a lot worse than SN 😔

It’s not common. Like a few dozen cases annually in the US. It’s worth remembering though, because of the insane danger it poses to responders or good samaritans trying to help.

It really got big in Japan in like 2007 or so and became “a thing” since then.

I can only think of it happening in NYC three times off the top of my head, over the course of my ten years working in EMS. Anyone who researches how to kill themselves can come up with way better methods, but this is the nuclear option so to speak.

people committing suicide aren't exactly thinking rationally