The local opioid crisis was in full-blown emergency mode over the weekend as three people died of drug overdoses and first responders rushed three more drug-users to hospital for treatment.

Brantford Staff Sgt. Grant Davies said Sunday it’s too early to say whether the “terrible” events of the weekend could have been caused by a bad batch of drugs in the area or simply the regular dangers of using opioids.

“We want to remind individuals that there’s always a risk with drugs. It’s possible people were thinking it was one drug and they were actually doing something else.”

Davies also said some addicts who are carrying Naloxone may have a false sense of security due to the kit which can quickly reverse the effects of an overdose.

On Friday afternoon, within one hour, police and paramedics responded to two calls involving overdoses. Both people were taken to hospital.

Friday evening, police responded to a home where a 34-year-old man had no vital signs. An investigation there into the man’s death turned up a suspected drug overdose.

Early Saturday morning, another man, who was in his 40s, was taken to hospital after using fentanyl. He was given a dose of Naloxone.

Then just before noon on Saturday, police were called to the downtown bus terminal where a 45-year-old man was found dead of a a suspected overdose.

The terminal was temporarily closed while that investigation was going on.

Around noon on Sunday, a 911 call came from a Brantford residence where the occupants of the home had found a 55-year-old man with no vital signs. Naloxone was given to the man but he was pronounced dead.

In a news release, Brantford Police said they are working with the coroner’s office in each case and they suspect fentanyl is a contributing factor in the deaths.

Davies said such a weekend takes a toll on first-responders as they try to help people and, in some cases, deal with the deaths of those they couldn’t help.

Similarly, the Woodstock police dealt with six suspected fentanyl overdoses in two days.

The police said they seized blue and green pills at the scenes of the calls and said the drug is causing immediate overdoses.

“We believe there’s a new type of fentanyl in town,” said Woodstock’s Staff Sgt. Neil Butler.

“We just want people to be aware of that and know that when they’re using these drugs, it may not have the effect that they were thinking they’re going to get from it.”

Brantford Police remind people that using opioids is fraught with danger.

Free Naloxone take-home kits are available for anyone who uses opioids or is associated with a drug user.

Go to the Brant County Health Unit’s webpage at www.bchu.org for information.

SGamble@postmedia.com

@EXPSGamble