In the bustling heart of Mendoza city, a horrifying discovery unfolded in a rented temporary apartment. It was a seemingly ordinary Saturday noon when the building’s caretaker repeatedly knocked on the door of a studio occupied by a young couple who had checked in the night before and were due to check out. The location, nestled within Galería Emperador on Buenos Aires Street, between San Martín and San Juan, became the setting for an eerie scene as no response came from within.
Taking matters into his own hands, the caretaker located a spare key and cautiously entered the premises. What he stumbled upon in the bathroom’s shower sent shockwaves through the community – two lifeless bodies, one male and one female, laying motionless. Initial investigations by law enforcement ruled out any signs of forced entry or visible violence on the bodies.
The authorities opted to maintain strict confidentiality regarding the victims’ identities under speculation that this might have been an incidental encounter. Details emerged indicating that she was 35 years old while he was 32, with their residences situated in Maipú and Godoy Cruz respectively, both areas falling under Greater Mendoza.
As news of this tragic incident spread like wildfire through downtown Mendoza, swarms of onlookers gathered around while police cordoned off Buenos Aires Street for security measures. Firefighters and forensic teams swiftly moved in to conduct preliminary examinations and retrieve the deceased.
Claudia Ríos, the homicide prosecutor leading the investigation, opened a line of inquiry focusing on potential carbon monoxide poisoning as a probable cause of death. The scrutiny now shifted towards examining heating appliances like stoves and water heaters for any malfunction that could have led to lethal gas leakage.
This somber event bore striking similarities to another harrowing incident from January 2022 when two tourists met their untimely demise inside a hotel room in downtown Mendoza. A mother aged 57 from Venezuela and her 23-year-old Brazilian son residing in Argentina tragically succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning due to faulty gas appliances lacking proper ventilation.
Expert analysis suggests these cases underscore the critical importance of regular maintenance and vigilant inspection of gas-powered devices to prevent such heartbreaking occurrences from repeating themselves. As investigations continue into these chilling incidents, authorities emphasize raising awareness about carbon monoxide risks among both residents and visitors alike.
