AUTHORITIES INVESTIGATING STRING OF DRUG DEATHS

HOUSTON (AP) - Harris County authorities are investigating 15 drug- related
deaths during the weekend and into Monday that may be caused by a deadly
batch of heroin or cocaine.

"We noticed a cluster of cases coming in" over a 48-hour span, Medical
Examiner Joye Carter said Monday. "What's been reported to our office is
not convulsive activity but feeling bad, going to sleep and not waking up."

Carter said her office is working with Houston police, the Harris County
sheriff's office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to find out
what the drug is and where it is coming from.

Maj. Juan Jorge of the Harris County sheriff's department said the deaths
appear to be a chain reaction of people receiving bad drugs.

"Any time somebody runs across some good dope that gets them high, word
gets out," Jorge said. "Then people run out and try to score a little bit."

The DEA has offered its laboratory facilities to help local authorities
determine which drug is killing users.

"We have special testing labs as far as particular drugs," DEA spokesman
Robert Mansaw said. "We have special testing in those particular areas
where a chemist can detect the presence of those substances."

One victim was found with what appeared to be a heroin-tainted syringe.
Another was found with packets of what police believe to be cocaine.

The victims range in age from 16 to 46 and were concentrated in north
Houston, in an area roughly bordered by U.S. Highway 59, the Hardy Toll
Road, Interstate 610 and Beltway 8.

"As far as the geographical area, it would be too much of a coincidence
that these victims died" in unrelated instances, Mansaw said.

A batch of drugs can become deadly if it is too pure, causing overdoses, or
contains a toxic or poisonous substance used to "cut," or dilute the drug.

Carter warned drug users to be careful of substances bought on the street
and to be sure they had access to medical attention.