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Sullivan County coroner raises alarm on xylazine‑fentanyl mix, says hospital morgue cooling system needs $50K–$75K upgrade
Summary
The county coroner told legislators the misuse of xylazine mixed with fentanyl is increasing and warned of capacity problems at the hospital morgue after repeated cooling‑system failures; a resident urged new approaches to addiction treatment during public comment.
Sullivan County Coroner Albie told the Public Safety and Law Enforcement Committee on March 6 that toxicology reports show an increasing presence of xylazine mixed with fentanyl in overdose deaths and urged county action on an aging hospital morgue cooling system that has failed multiple times.
"It's a powerful sedative that ... we're finding that it's being mixed with fentanyl," Albie said, describing the combination as used by illicit suppliers and noting a roughly 38% increase of that mixture in toxicology reports nationwide. He said mix‑usage increases the risk of fatality and complicates response.
Albie said the hospital morgue's cooling system has failed again, resulting in temporary policies such as rotating decedents every two hours; he asked the legislature to engage hospital leadership and county staff to resolve the problem. He said quotes place a replacement cooling system in the $50,000 to $75,000 range and invited county representatives to attend a coroner's meeting at the Liberty Diner to discuss next steps.
Albie provided a simple breakdown of recent caseloads: the coroner’s office answered 45 deaths in January and February, performed 15 autopsies and recorded three overdose deaths in that period.
In public comment, Dorothy Sanchez, whose son died of a drug overdose in Sullivan County, urged the legislature to adopt new approaches to addiction treatment and said Sullivan County currently has the highest opioid death rate in New York State. "The programs don't work," Sanchez said, describing repeated overdoses and saying she has documentation of her son's repeated overdoses while in treatment.
Committee chair Louie Alvarez and other members said they would follow up; county staff indicated they will meet with the coroner and hospital representatives to pursue equipment and communication issues.
