Autopsy: Toxic mix of drain cleaners caused apartment deaths

Sep. 16—TRAVERSE CITY — Autopsy results indicated the deaths of two people found June 23 inside an apartment in Brookside Commons was accidental.

Grand Traverse County's Sheriff's Office Capt. Randy Fewless shared the results of the report Friday.

Kim Allison, 61, and Steven Morris, 63, were discovered at about 11 a.m. that day by a building maintenance man, who called 911.

When deputies arrived, they said they saw no signs of foul play or marks on either of the bodies. This led them to suspect carbon monoxide poisoning as a possible cause of death.

But a fire department investigation concluded there were no signs of carbon monoxide present in the apartment.

A full autopsy by Western Michigan Forensic Lab in Kalamazoo determined that both deaths were accidental, Fewless said, and that they died of "probable inhalation of toxic fumes due to the mixing of multiple chemicals."

According to the report, it appeared that the couple had been trying to unclog the sink in the apartment at the time of their deaths. Fewless said cleaning products found at the apartment included bleach and a gel drain opener. Combining some of the chemicals contained in those products can produce deadly fumes.

Fewless said he could not speculate on exactly what those chemicals were, but he knew from the autopsy results that the combination of two or more of the products resulted in their deaths.

Both of their families have been notified.

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