Possible fentanyl ODs in South King County - "Did not respond to Narcan"

SEATTLE — Two people who were seen snorting a white powder in a South King County park did not immediately respond to naloxone, the drug that reverses the toxic effects of heroin and other opioids.

Witnesses told first King County responders they saw two people "snort fentanyl" at Lake Geneva Park near Federal Way on Sunday, according to a health professional who wants to remain anonymous.

Both people who ingested the unknown white powder were immediately given Narcan, according to the source.

James Apa of Public Health – Seattle & King County confirmed the two "did not respond to Narcan.”

Apa told KIRO 7 it would be “premature to say anything” about the incident because it’s still under investigation, but KIRO 7’s source said it was the additional efforts at St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way that saved those two lives.

The assistant special special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in Seattle told KIRO 7 Tuesday that multiple forms of fentanyl are being integrated into heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine all over the Pacific Northwest.

Asst SAC Russ Baer also said a powerful, synthetic opioid known as carfentanil would require multiple doses of naloxone or Narcan to revive the drug user.

It's not known whether that’s what the two ingested in the park on Sunday.

The white powder was sent to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab for testing, according to KIRO 7’s source.

Related: Washington lawmakers tackling opioid shipping loophole 

According to Baer, DEA agents are "very concerned" about the growing integration of fentanyl in local drug usage over the past year.  He said multiple forms of fentanyl are becoming so common for safety reasons, first responders have to assume "any powdery substance in the Seattle-area has a fentanyl substance in it."

“Everybody needs to be concerned,” Baer added.

Cox Media Group