Family Believed to be Sickened by Pesticide at Virgin Islands Resort

PHILADELPHIA – A Delaware family is back home and in the hospital after getting sick while on vacation, due to a possible exposure to methyl bromide.

 

The Environmental Protection Agency suspects Steve Esmond, his wife Dr. Theresa Devine, and their two teenage boys were poisoned by methyl bromide. They were airlifted to the United States mainland for continued treatment. The mother has been released and the father and two teenage sons remain in critical condition.

 

Use of methyl bromide was confirmed the day after the family became ill, which has helped inform doctors and medical experts on how to treat the family, Judith Enck, the EPA's regional administrator in New York City, which has jurisdiction over the U.S. Virgin Islands, told ABC News.

 

EPA banned methyl bromide for residential use in 1984 primarily for health concerns. That ban extends to U.S. territories, including the Virgin Islands, Enck told ABC News. So far the investigation has revealed a certified applicator working for Terminix applied the methyl bromide in the complex while targeting an indoor beetle that consumes wood, Enck said. The company is now under a criminal investigation led by the U.S. Justice Department.

 

A Terminix spokesperson emailed PCT the following statement: "First and foremost, the family is in our thoughts and prayers. We're cooperating with authorities in their investigation, and we're conducting our own thorough internal investigation. We’re committed to performing all work we undertake in a way that is safe for our employees, customers and the public."

 

The National Pest Management Association noted that the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the United States Department of Justice, and U.S.V.I Department of Planning and Natural Resources are investigating. NPMA also released a statement and talking points (click here to read).