Two men found dead in a northwest suburban home during a mysterious hazardous materials situation Thursday were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning, according to police.
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said Friday afternoon the deaths appeared to be accidental and no foul play is suspected.
Earlier in the day, the men were identified as 53-year-old Hong K. Kim and 83-year-old John Tae Kim.
The woman who was found with them in the house was Kim's wife, police say, and she remains hospitalized in critical condition.
Around 3:30 p.m. Thursday police were called to a five-unit townhome in the 9400 block of Harrison Street after receiving a report of three people in distress.
Upon entering the home, four Cook County sheriff's officers were unexpectedly overcome by some sort of hazardous agent, authorities said.
“They started feeling sick,” said Rick Dobrowski, chief of North Maine Fire Protection District. “They were having some kind of breathing difficulties, we don’t know for sure.”
The officers were taken to area hospitals to be treated. They have since been released and are in stable condition.
Inside the home the three victims were found not breathing, according to police. The Cook County medical examiner pronounced both men dead on arrival and the woman was transported to an area hospital.
Several residences around the home were temporarily evacuated while hazmat teams worked late into the night Thursday to try to figure out what the deadly substance was.
No further details have been released as to what the carbon monoxide was coming from.
