Hazardous Materials personnel with the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded Tuesday afternoon to the scene of a death in a car at the Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area north of Pyramid Lake.

Officials took the precaution because a sulfurous compound and two open containers of an unknown chemical were found inside a car, along with a man’s body. A state park ranger reportedly sustained minor exposure injuries upon investigating the vehicle at about 8 a.m.

Fire Inspector Scott Miller said the Hazmat team was “investigating an unconscious person in a car with possible containers.” A sheriff’s deputy on scene called it a “homicide investigation,” and a state parks official confirmed the presence of a deceased person.

The victim was described only as male. The cause of death is not yet known. Homicide investigators and coroner officials had not yet arrived as of 4:30 p.m.

Other than emergency response vehicles, the small compact car sat alone in the Lane Ranch Campground, two miles west of the south entrance to the Hungry Valley park off of Smokey Bear Road.

Officials said there were unconfirmed reports that it was a suicide.