Two people died and at least two people were hospitalized due to carbon monoxide poisoning on Tuesday.
The people, who have not been identified, were found at a 555 Belfast Road residence at around 6 a.m., News Center Maine reported. Two of the people inside the home were dead when officials arrived, and two other people were transported to a local hospital.
According to Freedom Fire Chief Jim Waterman, it is believed that a cut in a line that is part of the home heating system caused propane to leak, exposing the people inside to deadly amounts of carbon monoxide.
The people affected by the carbon monoxide poisoning were of Chinese descent, according to News Center Maine’s report. The Waldo County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation into the circumstances of the exposure.
In May, the 555 Belfast Road residence was raided as part of an investigation into illegal marijuana grow houses throughout the state. Law enforcement have raided more than 40 properties across Maine in the last year, resulting in hundreds of pounds of seized marijuana and thousands of plants.
At least 1,900 live marijuana plants were discovered at the location in May. It was not clear whether any arrests were made.
It was not immediately clear if illegal marijuana was found at the residence when officials responded on Tuesday.
