Another man gasses himself to death with hydrogen sulfide, 80 neighbors forced to flee

YOKOHAMA -- A 22-year-old man has gassed himself to death by generating deadly hydrogen sulfide at his home here, forcing about 80 neighbors to flee their homes, police said.

At around 11 p.m. on Wednesday, a resident of an apartment complex in Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, notified a gas supplier that he smelled a strong gas odor in the structure. The gas supplier in turn alerted rescue workers.

Paramedics found a 22-year-old company employee dead in the bathroom of his apartment. Traces of toxic hydrogen sulfide were detected in the bathroom, leading investigators to suspect that he committed suicide.

About 80 neighbors including residents of the same apartment complex temporarily took shelter at a nearby restaurant, according to local police.

(Mainichi Japan) May 8, 2008