Death due to inhalation of ethyl chloride

A 30-year-old white male was found dead in a locked apartment with a rag he ld loosely in his mouth. Four cans (3 empty, 1 partially empty) containing ethyl chloride and labeled as VCR head cleaner were found next to the body. Phenyl propanolamine and low therapeutic levels of diazepam (64 mu g/L) an d nordiazepam (126 mu g/L) were detected during toxicological analysis. An unidentified peak was observed when performing ethanol analysis by headspac e gas chromatography. The peak was identified as ethyl chloride and the con centrations in the blood, urine, vitreous, brain, and lungs of the deceased were 423 mg/L, 35 mg/L, 12 mg/L, 858 mg/kg, and 86 mg/kg, respectively. Th e re suits were compared with previously reported levels of ethyl chloride in blood and vitreous and, based on a literature search, we believe that th is is the first report of ethyl chloride levels in tissue.