Deaths of two pest control workers prompt multi-agency investigation in South Florida
(1).JPG "Broward County Fire Rescue responds to a hazardous materials incident at a Baer’s Furniture Co. warehouse in Pompano Beach on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.")
Over a week after two pest control workers died in different cities and a third was hospitalized following the fumigation of a furniture warehouse in Pompano Beach it was still unknown what caused their hardships.
Local, state and federal agencies have been interviewing witnesses in addition to combing through records to figure out what went wrong. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services launched an investigation and is keeping the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency informed about developments, the agencies told the Miami Herald.
Leon Johnson, 63, was discovered inside a vehicle at about 9:45 p.m. April 22 in the 1700 block of Taft Street in Hollywood, the city’s police department said.
“Hollywood Hazmat was called out, and no hazardous chemicals were found coming from the vehicle,” Hollywood police spokeswoman Deanna Bettineschi noted in an email April 25. “Detectives are working on this investigation and waiting for a cause of death ruling from the Medical Examiners’ Office.”
Hours earlier, Boynton Beach officers found one of Johnson’s coworkers at around 5:15 p.m. April 22 at 927 SW 36th Ave. in response to a call of a man needing medical attention, the city’s police department said. Jason Lambert, 45, was taken to Baptist Health Bethesda Hospital East and died minutes later.
“The deceased was employed by a pest control company and he was at work prior to this incident,” Boynton Beach Police Maj. Mike Kelley told the Herald in an email Wednesday morning. “This is an ongoing investigation.”
According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, a third pest control worker was hospitalized somewhere in Palm Beach County. Their name, age, gender is unknown as well as their current health status.
The situation began Saturday, April 22, after the three workers had completed their work. Later that day, one of them began to feel ill and went to a hospital in Palm Beach County, said Carey Codd, a BSO spokesman.
“It was discovered later that day that the other two employees were found deceased,” Codd added.
On April 25, in an abundance of caution, the Baer’s Furniture warehouse at 1589 NW 12th Ave. was evacuated around noon. Pompano Beach Fire Rescue inspected it for hazardous materials but found nothing of concern, authorities said.
The warehouse is less than a mile from Markham Elementary School, which went on a hold status, keeping everyone indoors, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.
Baer’s Furniture employees returned to the building later in the day. Kari Fletcher, the company’s director of marketing, told the Herald via emails that no Baer’s staff were injured and that the fumigation was routine.
“We have no information or knowledge of things that happened with a third party contractor’s employees after performing licensed work at our facility,” Fletcher said. “According to the HAZMAT teams, our building is safe and secure.”
Miami Herald staff writer Grethel Aguila contributed to this report.
This story was originally published April 25, 2023 at 1:31 PM.
