Chemical suicides in automobiles--six states, 2006-2010.

During a 3-month period in 2008 in Japan, 208 persons committed suicide by mixing household chemicals and, while in a confined space, breathing in the resultant poisonous gas. The large number of similar suicides is believed to have resulted from the posting of directions for generating poisonous gas on the Internet. In addition to claiming the suicide victim, lethal gas generated by intentionally mixing household chemicals can leak from confined spaces, triggering evacuations, and exposing bystanders and first responders to injury. Chemical suicides similar to those in Japan in 2008 have been reported increasingly in the United States, with the majority occurring inside automobiles. To characterize such incidents in the United States, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) analyzed reports of chemical suicides and attempted suicides that occurred in automobiles, using 2006--2009 data from states participating in the Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) system and 2010 data from states participating in the new National Toxic Substance Incidents Program (NTSIP). This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which found that, during 2006--2010, a total of 10 chemical suicide incidents were reported from six states, resulting in the deaths of nine suicide victims and injuries to four law enforcement officers. When responding to suspected chemical suicide incidents, emergency responders must take precautions to ensure both their safety and the safety of any bystanders in the immediate vicinity.