Four minors succumbed to gas poisoning in Texas after resident used pesticide to fumigate a home.
In Amarillo, Texas fire officials told media that a 17-year-old was found dead while three others was brought to a local hospital where they later died.
According to authorities, a pesticide that contained aluminum phosphide, when mixed with water this chemical releases phosphine gas.
Phosphine gas is odorless, colorless, flammable and toxic. Phosphine is an irritant to the respiratory tract. When inhaled, the chemical attacks the cardiovascular and respiratory system causing cardiac arrest and failure.
The gas poisoning Texas Fire Department Captain Larry Davis in Amarillo has told the media that the family may have been exposed to the gas for several days according to a report by Reuters.
Several other family members and rescuers exposed to the poisonous gas are now being treated at a local hospital.
According to a journal published by Agency for Toxic Substance & Disease Registry, people can be exposed to phosphine through inhalation, ingestion and skin and eye contact.
The symptoms of phosphine toxicity may include restlessness, irritability, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, tremors, drowsiness cough, and the loss of control of bodily movements.
The poison during acute exposure damages the heart and lungs and most deaths occur during 12 to 24 hours of exposure and deaths are caused by heart failure.
If the person survives the first 24 hours of exposure, ECG readings usually returns to normal which indicates that the heart damage is reversible.
Other systems of the body are also affected by this toxic substance which includes the lungs, the stomach and the intestines, the liver and the kidneys.
Exposure to very small amounts of phosphine over long periods of time may cause anemia, bronchitis, visual, speech and motor disturbances.
Chronic exposure may be more significant to children because of their potential longer latency period.
