ROCKLAND — Rockland police are investigating the chain of events of two area residents who died in a Rockland home on Saturday. 

Just after noon, June 13, a family member entered a Hill Street home and found a 39-year-old female and a 26-year-old male, both unresponsive. 

From Fire and EMS, a firetruck and two ambulances responded to the scene with crew dividing into two teams for simultaneous CPR resuscitation. Those 16 Fire/EMS responders included the day’s duty crew of six personnel, along with 10 off duty and call division volunteers, according to Fire Chief Chris Whytock.

Because two of Rockland’s ambulances were tied up with the CPR, Whytock called upon a Rockport-based North East Mobile Health crew, including a paramedic, to stay in the city in case there was another call, or more assistance was needed at the scene.

Two patrol officers and two detectives also responded to what is suspected to have been drug overdoses, according to Rockland Police Department Acting Asst. Chief Joel Neal. 

“To the best of my recollection, we’ve never had a double overdose death in Rockland,” he said. “This is definitely unusual for us – though not out of our capabilities.”

It is not, however, the first time the police have been called to – and investigated – single overdoses in Rockland. 

The bodies currently remain on medical hold at a funeral home while police await toxicology and blood draw results.  

According to Neal, once the overdose is confirmed, detectives will try to determine where the drugs came from, who purchased them, how the purchases were made, and from whom.

“Trafficking in narcotics and drugs is a serious crime in the state of Maine,” he said. 

People can obtain illegal drugs in a variety of ways, according to him. 

“Some of them can be tracked down,” he said. “Unfortunately, sometimes we can’t. But we will give it our 100 percent best effort. That’s for sure.”

All Fire/EMS units were clear of the scene by 1 p.m.

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com