An autopsy in Lučenec required strict safety measures after a 63-year-old man died following the suspected ingestion of rat poison containing a substance that transforms into a highly toxic gas upon contact with moisture. Relatives found the man dead and locked inside a house, with all indications pointing to rodenticide poisoning, according to reporting by TV JOJ.
Dangerous Chemical Reaction and Medical Risks
The product involved is Fosfotoxin, which releases phosphane gas when it comes into contact with water and air humidity, stated Ministry of the Interior spokesperson Matej Neumann. Chemist Marcel Ehn explained that phosphane is a very poisonous gas that practically immediately attacks the nervous, digestive, and cardiovascular systems. Exposure can cause nausea, headaches, breathing difficulties, and vomiting. Ehn added that handling or coming into contact with the gas requires extreme caution because it can cause severe health damage, permanent consequences, and even death.
Did You Know? The lethal substance involved is Fosfotoxin, a deratization product that releases phosphane gas upon contact with water or air humidity.
Hospital Autopsy and Civil Protection Oversight
Following the discovery, police immediately contacted control chemical laboratory workers to monitor the environment and provide guidance. Katarína Kudjaková of the Health Care Surveillance Authority (ÚDZS) reported that due to the potential risk of air contamination during the handling of the body, both the transport of the deceased and the autopsy took place under the pre-arranged supervision of civil protection units. The autopsy inside the Lučenec hospital complex proceeded under strict security protocols, while the area surrounding the morgue was cordoned off with police tape.
Emergency Response and Facility Dekontamination
Firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus and protective suits deployed to the scene to secure the area. HaZZ commanding officer Michal Marcinek explained that personnel ventilated the spaces using a positive-pressure fan during the intervention and carried out decontamination of all used equipment once the liquidation work finished. Neumann confirmed that control chemical laboratory workers monitored the environment, implemented necessary safety measures, and provided expert guidelines to all intervening forces and personnel. The Health Care Surveillance Authority characterized the event as an extraordinarily unusual case.
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the death of the 63-year-old man in Lučenec?
According to information from TV JOJ and official sources, the man likely died after ingesting rodent poison used for rodent deratization.
Why did the autopsy require special security measures?
The body represented a significant risk because the ingested product, Fosfotoxin, releases phosphane gas upon contact with moisture or air, threatening to contaminate the air around the handling area.
What safety protocols were implemented during the intervention?
Civil protection units oversaw the transport and autopsy, chemical laboratory workers monitored the environment, and firefighters in protective gear ventilated the premises with a positive-pressure fan and dekontaminated all equipment.
How will local authorities further update safety guidelines regarding hazardous chemical poison exposures?