Rash Of Drug Overdoses Rocks City

WPXI

Pittsburgh Police and the Allegheny County Medical Examiner are trying to determine a potential link between nearly two-dozen drug overdoses over the last few days.

Channel 11 sources say most of the victims abused heroin and purchased it in the same Pittsburgh neighborhood. Investigators are also examining whether this version of the dangerous illegal drug was laced with something making it even more deadly.

The Medical Examiner is involved because at least one suspected user later died. The official cause of the man's death won't be known until the toxicology test results come back.

This situation threatens more than just those who shoot-up. Over the weekend a pair of drivers overdosed while behind the wheel. The subsequent wrecks directly put other motorists and strolling pedestrians at risk.

According to our NBC affiliate in Detroit, 50 heroin users overdosed and died over the last two weeks; that's just in Wayne County, Michigan alone.

The Wayne County Medical Examiner may have a lead on the cause . He told WDIV-TV that the possible problem stems from the manufacturers mixing the heroin with the powerful pain killer, fentanyl.

Back in Western Pennsylvania investigators have made no official connection to fentanyl, or the cases in Detroit.