A motel in northern California has been ordered closed after two women were found dead in the same room within days of each other, raising serious safety concerns and prompting a multi-agency investigation.
According to the Eureka Police Department, officers first responded to a call on February 21 at a motel on the 4000 block of Broadway Street in Eureka, later identified by local media as the Lamplighter Inn. Authorities said the call reported two unconscious individuals believed to have suffered a possible drug overdose.
When police and firefighters arrived, they discovered a 37-year-old woman deceased inside the room. Another person was found alive and transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Just five days later, on February 26, emergency responders were called back to the same motel — and the same room— after another report of two people unconscious from a suspected overdose. This time, authorities said a 36-year-old woman was found dead, while another individual was discovered in critical condition and rushed to the hospital.
The repeated incidents raised immediate concerns among investigators.
During the second emergency response, Humboldt Bay Fire personnel began experiencing symptoms consistent with mild carbon monoxide exposure, according to officials. Firefighters conducted atmospheric testing inside the room and detected elevated levels of carbon monoxide.
Authorities also discovered no carbon monoxide detectors installed in the room, a violation that significantly increased concerns about the motel’s safety.
Following the discovery, officials from several agencies — including fire investigators, detectives, evidence technicians, and representatives from Pacific Gas & Electric — responded to the scene to investigate the potential hazard. The motel was temporarily evacuated while emergency crews ventilated the building.
City officials soon determined the situation posed a serious risk.
According to authorities, the Eureka building official, Humboldt Bay Fire chief, and fire marshal concluded the motel could not remain open until safety inspections were completed and code violations addressed. The city issued a first and final notice ordering the business to shut down.
The closure took effect March 3, and the property will remain closed until heating and ventilation systems in every room are inspected and confirmed to be safe. Officials have also ordered the installation of fully functioning carbon monoxide detectors in each room before the motel can reopen.
“All equipment must be confirmed to be in proper working condition before occupancy is allowed,” city officials wrote in a notice to the property owner.
Meanwhile, the Humboldt County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office is continuing to investigate the deaths. Officials say the causes of death remain pending, and the identities of the women have not yet been released while authorities notify their families.
The case remains an active investigation involving multiple agencies, as officials work to determine exactly what happened inside the motel room.
