( CNN ) The presence of a harmful pesticide at a luxury villa in the U.S. Virgin Islands may have resulted in the illness of a Delaware family , the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Friday . Paramedics were called last week to a rented villa at the Sirenusa resort in St. John after the family of four fell ill . They had rented the villa from March 14 to March 22 , and were later hospitalized . The illness was reported to the EPA on March 20 . `` Our preliminary results do show that there was a presence of methyl bromide in the unit where the family was staying , '' said Elias Rodriguez , an EPA spokesman . Exposure to methyl bromide can result in serious health effects , including central nervous system and respiratory system damage , according to the EPA . The use of the pesticide is restricted in the United States because of its acute toxicity . It 's not allowed to be used indoors . Only certified professionals are permitted to use it in certain agricultural settings . `` It 's an ongoing investigation ; we 're still on the island doing our assessment , '' Rodriguez said . `` We have been doing different types of air sampling and wipe sampling . '' Final test results were expected next week . The EPA is working with local government agencies to investigate whether the family was made ill after a fumigation at the resort on March 18 and whether any environmental regulations or laws were violated . `` Pesticides can be very toxic , and it is critically important that they be applied properly and used only as approved by EPA , '' said Judith A. Enck , a regional administrator for the EPA . `` The EPA is actively working to determine how this happened and will make sure steps are taken to prevent this from happening to others at these vacation apartments or elsewhere . '' Depending on the season , the luxury villa where the family stayed rents between $ 550 and $ 1,200 per night . Sea Glass Vacations , which acts as a rental agent for several units at Sirenusa , said that the unit directly below the one where the family stayed was recently treated for pests , but that their unit was not treated . The company said it licensed an outside company , Terminix , for the pest control services . `` Sea Glass Vacations does not treat the units it manages for pests but instead relies on licensed professionals for pest control services , '' the company said in a statement . The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated a criminal investigation into the matter , according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing made Monday by ServiceMaster Global Holdings , the parent company of Terminix . In an email to CNN , a spokesman for Terminix wrote that the company is `` committed to performing all work ... in a manner that is safe for our customers , employees , the public and the environment '' and is `` looking into this matter internally , and cooperating with authorities . '' `` We 're thinking about the family , and we join the community in wishing them a speedy recovery , '' Terminix wrote . James Maron , an attorney who has been a spokesman for the family , has not responded to requests for comment . The SEC filing described the injuries to the family members as `` serious . ''
Delaware family becomes ill at the Sirenusa resort in the U.S. Virgin Islands . Preliminary EPA results find methyl bromide was present in unit where family stayed . Score: 6