Six students on spring break were hospitalized after a drug overdose at a Wilton Manors short-term rental home Thursday, officials said.
First responders got a call before 5 p.m. about multiple overdoses at the home in the 800 block of Northwest 29th Court, Fort Lauderdale Fire Battalion Chief Stephen Gollan said.
"This is extremely alarming to us," Gollan said.
The students overdosed on what they thought was cocaine, but it was laced with fentanyl, officials said.
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"It’s extremely, extremely potent and can stop your heart, your respiration," Gollan said.
Only four of the six students actually took the drug, officials said. But when they had a bad reaction, the other two tried to help — then they overdosed.
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"When they went down in cardiac arrest, two of their friends began doing CPR, and they were exposed from the drug contact from the fentanyl," Gollan said.
One of the students is in critical condition in the ICU. Five of them are now in stable condition. There’s no word yet on what school the students go to.
Dana Fumosa lives a few doors down and witnessed first responders at the scene.
"We saw paramedics pulling the kids out of the house, unconscious, just laying them on the grass," Fumosa said.
Officials said they’ve never dealt with anything like this.
"Spring break has come off the beach and into communities," Gollan said. "And that’s what you’re seeing here."
