EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A migrant is dead and several others are injured after they were abandoned in a storm drain early Tuesday morning, near the U.S.-Mexico border, according to El Paso Sector Interim Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar.
U.S. Border Patrol agents discovered nine migrants who were left in the storm drain by human smugglers for six hours, Slosar said.
One migrant was unresponsive and ultimately died due to environmental conditions. Four other migrants were taken to local hospitals for treatment, Slosar said.
“This cruel and dangerous trend of using storm sewers has been employed by criminal groups for many years, leading to injuries and death,” Slosar said. “Human smugglers don’t care about you. They will take your money, abandon you, and leave you to die in a storm sewer. The only safe way to enter the U.S. is legally.”
A spokesperson with the El Paso Fire Department says the call came in at around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday at Loop 375 East at Oregon Street in reference to the incident.
Border officials said a group of migrants were discovered in the storm drain and were having problems breathing. The air quality in the storm drain was reportedly an issue.
Initially, fire officials said two people were taken with serious injuries and one person was taken with minor injuries. Fire officials called Tuesday morning’s emergency response a “mass casualty incident.”
KTSM 9 News reported about the response during the 5 a.m. morning newscast as TxDOT cameras showed multiple law enforcement vehicles at the scene by the Border Highway.
Several emergency vehicles including fire trucks, El Paso police units and Border Patrol vehicles were seen closing the right lane on Loop 375 East at Oregon early Tuesday morning.
Motorists can be seen driving around the emergency vehicles in the area.
KTSM initially reported this as a traffic incident during our morning newscast, but the El Paso Fire Department has since confirmed this was a mass casualty incident.
U.S. Border Patrol has taken over the investigation and El Paso police were on scene Tuesday morning.
Why this was called a “mass casualty” situation?
According to the El Paso Fire Department, a multi-casualty incident occurs when the number or severity of patients overwhelms normal emergency resources. In fact, any incident involving six or more patients is classified as a mass casualty by the department.
KTSM reached out to U.S. Border Patrol for confirmation on how many migrants were caught in the storm drain during this incident.
We will continue to follow this developing story and will provide updates on KTSM.com as soon as we hear back.
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