Five people found unresponsive in NC home with ‘strong odor.’ Four saved, rescuers say

Five “unresponsive” people were found in a rural North Carolina home and a rush to revive them resulted in four being saved, according to first responders in Surry County.

The discovery was made around 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 12, at a single-family home in the unincorporated Lowgap area, about a 100-mile drive north from Charlotte.

“A 911 call reported a subject not breathing,” Surry County Emergency Services said in a March 12 news release.

“Within minutes, a Skull Camp first responder/firefighter arrived on scene and multiple unresponsive patients were discovered. ... The patients were removed from the structure and emergency care was started.”

Firefighters report “a strong odor was detected” in the home.

One of the five people was declared dead at the scene, while the other four were taken to hospitals to be treated for suspected “carbon monoxide exposure,” officials said.

The identity of the person who died has not been released as of March 13.

The Surry County Medical Examiner’s Office is working to confirm a cause of death, officials said.

Carbon monoxide “is an odorless, colorless gas that kills without warning,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Breathing the gas for an extended period causes headaches, dizziness, confusion and unconsciousness, experts say.

“It claims the lives of hundreds of people every year and makes thousands more ill,” the center says. “Many household items including gas- and oil-burning furnaces, portable generators, and charcoal grills produce this poison gas.”

This story was originally published March 13, 2025 at 4:46 AM with the headline "Five people found unresponsive in NC home with ‘strong odor.’ Four saved, rescuers say."