Reports: Blood-alcohol levels high for 6 victims

MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Six of the seven South Carolina college students killed in last month’s North Carolina beach house fire had blood-alcohol levels as much as three times the legal limit for an adult operating a vehicle, according to toxicology reports released Friday.

The students, all of whom were underage, had blood-alcohol levels ranging from 0.16 percent to 0.29 percent. The legal limit for driving in North Carolina is 0.08 percent.

Lauren Mahon, an 18-year-old USC freshman, did not have alcohol in her system, said Dr. John Butts, North Carolina’s medical examiner.

The students died after a fire broke out shortly after 7 a.m. Oct. 28 at a beach house on Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. Thirteen college students from South Carolina were in the house. Six escaped, including some who jumped from second-story windows.

Seven students — six from USC and one from Clemson University — died from smoke inhalation and poisoning from carbon monoxide, which is odorless. It is likely they died in their sleep.

Butts said the alcohol levels may have affected the students’ coordination.

However, Brunswick County District Attorney Rex Gore said alcohol did not contribute to the students’ deaths.

“It’s a tragedy when they have those levels of alcohol,” Gore said. “But I haven’t seen anything to indicate that was a major contributing factor to the fire or to the chances of survival.”