For the second time within two months, a man has died at Club Z, the popular gay bathhouse at 1117 Pike Street. The Seattle Police Department responded to a call at 12: 33am Friday morning.
On November 18th at approximately 12:33 a.m. officers responded to a business in the 1100 block of Pike Street for the report of a deceased male found on the premises. Patrol officers are investigating this incident as a death investigation (“DOA”) with no indications of foul play.
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office responded to the scene and took custody of the deceased. They have the responsibility of determining the cause of death and to identify the deceased.
On September 14, 2011 the police responded to a call from Club Z concerning a man found unconsious in the steam room. Paramedics attempted to revive the man, but he apparently died at the scene, though a Club Z employee told us later, the man was actually dead before the police arrived.
We don’t know the specifics of the cause of death in both situations, or even the ages of the two men, but we’d like to know. If pre-existing conditions were to blame for these men’s deaths then there’s not much that can be done about that, but if people are dying due to drug/alcohol overdoses then it might be time for a blunt, public awareness campaign. And, we’re not saying that drugs/booze had anything to do with these men’s deaths, but it wouldn’t really surprise us if it was the case…not everyone who goes to a bathhouse uses drugs but it’s also not unheard of…certainly prescribed drugs like Viagra and Cialis are very common, and can cause potential problems if misused. Regardless of the circumstances in these two cases, we’ll issue a stern but friendly reminder: “Drugs/Booze, Risky Sex and Steam are not a good mix.” Bathhouses can be fun outlets (we’re the last people to be judgmental about the baths…) but be smart when you play.
For more information on drug/alcohol addiction in the LGBTQ community, check out Gay City’s website for resources and referrals.
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