Poisonous chemicals killed one woman in an apparent suicide and sickened eight people, prompting the evacuation of three floors of the Hotel Fairmont in San Jose Saturday, fire officials said. About 10 a.m., firefighters were dispatched to the hotel on a report of an attempted suicide on the 19th floor using chemicals. The crew found the woman dead in a hotel room in the 19th floor. San Jose police are investigating the incident as a suicide, according to Officer Gina Tepoorten.
“1792 South Market Street at Fairmont Hotel. Chemical suicide. [Inaudible] found a note on the room that said the subject committed suicide by poisonous gas,” was the dispatcher’s call that went out to San Jose firefighters.
“Sounds like a chemical exposure. We are deconing some of our personel and we have sealed the room off,” a firefighter told dispatchers over the radio a short time later.
Already, some hotel staff members and guests were feeling sick.