RCMP are cautioning residents about consuming psychoactive mushrooms following the sudden death of a 24-year-old man at Halfway Hot Springs last week. The popular natural hot springs is located up a forest service road that branches off of Highway 23 about 75 kilometres south of Revelstoke.

Dieter Eggers, 24, of Taylor B.C., had been travelling in the area with a friend when they stopped to visit the popular natural hot springs.

Nakusp RCMP report that Eggers and his friend had spent a few hours at the springs on the evening of Nov. 8 when Eggers suddenly stopped breathing.

The friend then tried to resuscitate Eggers by using CPR for about 30 minutes. He then left the area and drove along the highway until he reached an area with mobile phone reception. Eggers was dead when emergency services responders arrived.

A press release from the Nakusp RCMP says preliminary results of the autopsy “indicate the cause of death may be linked to the consumption of what was thought by the individual to be ‘magic mushrooms’ or psilocybin mushrooms.”

An Interior Regional Coroners Office spokesperson said that an autopsy had been completed but results from a toxicology test could take weeks.

At this time, it’s unknown if Eggers’ death was influenced by so-called magic mushrooms, another type of mushroom perhaps mistaken for one, or by another substance added to the mushrooms.

“Although police have not yet been able to determine the origin of the mushrooms suspected to be linked to this death, police are urging everyone to avoid consuming anything that is believed to be ‘magic mushrooms’ or psilocybin mushrooms as there may be poisonous substances being sold as ‘magic mushrooms’,” stated the Nakusp RCMP in a press release.

The RCMP say foul play has been ruled out, but an RCMP investigation continues to determine the origin of the mushrooms.