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5 fentanyl overdoses in 24 hours, Union City police say
Union City police are investigating five suspected drug overdoses involving fentanyl in just 24 hours. Two of those overdoses turned deadly.
UNION CITY, Calif. - Two people died and three others were treated for suspected fentanyl overdoses within a 24-hour period in Union City.
The first overdose occurred on Tuesday morning near Medallion Drive and Whipple Road, according to the Union City Police Department. At that location, officers found an unresponsive person who was subsequently transported to a local hospital and later pronounced dead. Authorities suspect the that fentanyl was involved.
Later that same evening, first responders were dispatched to the Hayward-Union City border for an unresponsive person who was cold to the touch, according to police. Tragically, the victim, a 17-year-old, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Not far from that location, another unresponsive person was discovered. Emergency responders successfully revived that person and transported them to a local hospital.
Union City police noted no apparent signs of foul play but found evidence of narcotics use at both scenes.
Authorities have not yet disclosed whether there is any connection between the two scenes.
"We’ve had sporadic incidents throughout the summer or over the years, where there’d be one where we have an overdose. But nothing like the five in the last 24 hours," said Sgt. Jean Jimenez, from Union City Police Department.
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Dr. John Morehouse is the Chief Physician at Kaiser Permanente in Richmond and says the hospital provides Naloxone to anyone who needs it.
"Naloxone is kind of amazing in the way that it can reverse an opioid overdose pretty instantaneously. However, only for a short period of time. So often in severe overdose cases, we have to keep monitoring some patients or in some cases, admit them to the hospital," Dr. Morehouse said.
Dr. Morehouse says people struggling with drug addiction need to join a treatment program immediately after surviving an overdose.
In the early hours of Wednesday, reports came in of an unresponsive person struggling to breath in a restroom on the 33000 block of Western Avenue.
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The Alameda County Fire Department responded and administered Narcan, successfully reviving the person. The person was transported to a nearby hospital.
Shortly thereafter, there was another report of an unresponsive person inside a vehicle in the parking lot of the same property. First responders returned to the location and administered Narcan, successfully reviving the person, who was then transported to a local hospital.
Suspected fentanyl was discovered inside the vehicle, according to the police.
Investigators are actively working to determine the source of the fentanyl in these five incidents. Those with information regarding these cases are encouraged to contact the police at 510-675-5207 or via email at tips@unioncity.org.