3 Officers Hospitalized Responding To Body At Motel

DECATUR, GA — Three police officers were hospitalized Saturday after investigating a report of a dead body in a Decatur motel room.

According to the FBI, it appears to have been a toxic combination of cleaning chemicals that caused the officers to feel lightheaded. It was unclear on Sunday whether those chemicals also were related to the death of a 48-year-old man whose body was found in the room.

At about 4:14 p.m. Saturday, the officers responded to a report of a dead body in a room at United Inn and Suites, at 4649 Memorial Dr. When they entered the room, they "were overwhelmed by a strong chemical odor in the room," according to police spokesman Lt. Lonzy Robertson.

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A DeKalb County Fire and Rescue hazardous materials unit was called in and evacuated the third floor of the motel as a precaution. The county's homeland security unit also responded to the scene.

The three officers were taken to a nearby hospital, where they were kept overnight for observation and released Sunday morning, Robertson said.

The FBI was called in to help identify the chemicals in the room and, Sunday morning, said that "a combination of household cleaning solutions" was found.

"No other harmful substances have been identified at this time," said Robertson.

Police were not releasing the 48-year-old man's name on Sunday, as family members were being notified. The DeKalb County Medical Examiner's office will conduct an autopsy in the case.

Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone