Son dies, mother injured by hydrogen sulfide gas in Okayama

Monday 14th April, 11:37 AM JST

OKAYAMA —

A man died of hydrogen sulfide gas poisoning and his mother was injured Sunday at their house in Ibara City, Okayama Prefecture, police said Monday. According to police, the 19-year-old man and his mother, 44, were found by an emergency medical team in the bathroom of their house around 1 p.m. after she called an ambulance.

Police said the mother called an ambulance, telling them she had found a memo on the door to the bathroom, saying: “Don’t open. There is deadly gas in here.” Police said the mother went into the bathroom and was stricken by the gas. The two were taken to hospital where the son died. The mother remains in a critical condition.

Police found containers of toilet cleaner and bath powder in the bathroom.

10 Comments

rjd_jr at 11:38 AM JST - 14th April

Weird, suicide by gas.
gogogo at 11:53 AM JST - 14th April

"Don’t open. There is deadly gas in here."

... and she opened the door? stupid woman.
smartacus at 11:57 AM JST - 14th April

You're a bit harsh, gogogo. She was concerned about her son, as I would be, too. She'd called the ambulance but realized it probably be too late by the time they got there. Maybe she tried to take precautions by holding a handkerchief over her nose.
romulus3 at 11:59 AM JST - 14th April

I am with you smartacus. good on her for trying to save him but its a shame she did not take a bigger precaution by wrapping up real tight and holding her breath.
timeon at 12:09 PM JST - 14th April

a weird way to commit suicide. hydrogen sulfide is not as toxic as HCN or CO, so I assume is a rather painful death. and it stinks like hell. but how did he make the gas? I don't think he can buy it easily (you need a license to buy from gas makers), so probably he mixed some toilet cleaners. But you have to know how to do it, are there any manuals for gas suicide people? Then maybe they should recommend a more efficient gas ...
some14some at 12:12 PM JST - 14th April

It is a new trend/method of committing suicide, according to Asahi news this month alone 19 persons have died and several family members/neighbors have been hurt so far. too sad :(
WhatJapanThinks at 12:14 PM JST - 14th April

timeon - therewas a recent post on Japan Probe about this:

http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=4171

It's the new charcoal briquettes, perhaps.
telecasterplayer at 01:29 PM JST - 14th April

I've read about this relatively new suicide-by-gas phenom in Japan on some other site. Sorry, can't remember which one. The "courtesy note" on the door doesn't seem to be enough to stop innocents from getting hurt. It's got to be a gruesome, painful death.
Zaphod at 06:15 PM JST - 14th April

I don`t get it. Committing suicide by inhaling this disgusting smelling stuff must be exquisitely unpleasant. Why do they do that choose that?
Ivespoken at 12:50 AM JST - 26th April

"Don’t open. There is deadly gas in here."

... and she opened the door? stupid woman.

TO: gogogo

What the hell did you expect her to do! It's her house and she wanted to know what was going on! JEEZ!

I feel bad for the mother, she must be heart broken!