Police probe their own response to initial call

Police [Yonhap]
Police [Yonhap]

A male and female guest at a motel in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, fell into critical condition after being poisoned by carbon monoxide. Police responded to an initial report and entered the room but concluded the two were asleep and left — only to return about 11 hours later to find them unconscious.

According to police and fire department authorities, a 112 emergency call came in at around 7:50 p.m. Sunday reporting that guests had not checked out past their scheduled time, were not answering the interphone and showed no signs of life when staff knocked on the door.

Officers who responded opened the room and found the two guests apparently asleep. The pair showed no reaction even after police entered, but officers determined there were no signs of criminal activity or other irregularities and left the scene.

About 11 hours later, at around 7 a.m. Monday, another 112 call came in reporting that the guests still had not come out.

When officers returned and entered the room, they found the two collapsed and unconscious, with foam at their mouths. The guests are believed to have been poisoned by carbon monoxide that had built up inside the motel and remain in critical condition.

Police are investigating how the carbon monoxide was produced and whether officers who responded to the first call handled the situation appropriately.


mp1256@heraldcorp.com