A northern California motel became the scene of two deaths in five days when women in the same room succumbed to what authorities now believe was carbon monoxide poisoning, not the drug overdoses first suspected. The building had no carbon monoxide detectors, and city officials immediately shut down the entire facility.

First Death Sparks Investigation

Eureka Police Department officers and Humboldt Bay Fire crews responded to the Lamplighter Inn on February 21 after discovering a 37-year-old woman dead inside a room. Another person found unconscious was rushed to a hospital. Authorities initially suspected a drug overdose based on the scene. The motel on the 4000 block of Broadway appeared to be dealing with a routine emergency call until the pattern repeated itself days later.

Chilling mystery as two women die in same motel room days apart https://t.co/DB09FX3klz pic.twitter.com/Trqy3G0DU6

— New York Post (@nypost) March 8, 2026

Deadly Pattern Emerges

Five days later, on February 26, first responders returned to the same motel room after reports of two more unconscious individuals. A 36-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene, while another critically injured person was transported to the hospital. After the patient was removed, firefighters began experiencing symptoms consistent with carbon monoxide exposure. Fire crews tested the air using gas monitors and detected dangerous levels of the poisonous gas throughout the room. The absence of any carbon monoxide detectors raised immediate red flags about building safety standards.

Building Immediately Closed

Pacific Gas and Electric Company crews joined Eureka Police detectives and fire officials in a comprehensive investigation of the property. All guests were evacuated while crews ventilated the building. City code enforcement and building inspectors examined the facility and discovered multiple mechanical and fire code violations. Officials issued the owner a First and Final Notice, forcing immediate closure until every room undergoes mechanical inspections and all violations are corrected. Carbon monoxide can leak from faulty heaters, water heaters, and poorly ventilated appliances, earning its reputation as an invisible killer.

Investigation Continues

Authorities have not confirmed whether carbon monoxide caused the two deaths, but a police spokesperson stated investigators found no evidence indicating drug overdoses at the scene. The identities of both victims remain withheld pending further investigation. The case highlights critical questions about building maintenance and safety enforcement in aging motels across California, where vulnerable residents often live in substandard conditions without basic safety equipment like carbon monoxide detectors required by state law.