St. John , U.S. Virgin Islands ( CNN ) Government officials are trying to track down vacationers who stayed at villas in the Virgin Islands who may have been exposed to a deadly pesticide . Local officials said methyl bromide is suspected to have been used improperly several times in the U.S. Virgin Islands , in different parts of the island ; even the governor said his condominium complex was fumigated with it in 2013 , without his knowledge . Investigators are still trying to piece together exactly what happened at the Sirenusa resort , where a Delaware family 's vacation in paradise turned into a nightmare . Theresa Devine and Steve Esmond and their two children fell gravely ill and suffered seizures ; two brothers , ages 14 and 16 , remain in comas . But this was likely not an isolated incident . Local authorities here tell CNN there is evidence methyl bromide was used at least twice at the gated Sirenusa resort on St. John by the pest control company Terminix . They also say Terminix used the pesticide across the islands on different occasions . Dawn Henry , the commissioner designee of the local Department of Planning and Natural Resources , or DPNR , said that while investigating what happened , the agency found methyl bromide was likely also used last fall at the same Sirenusa resort , as well as in a vacation villa in St. Croix and in two nontourist locations . Methyl bromide is banned from indoor use , and is only approved as an agricultural pesticide . Other pest control companies on the Virgin Islands were found in possession of methyl bromide and officials said they are checking records to see whether it was used improperly . Ken Mapp , the governor of the Virgin Islands , said it was . `` What these companies did or appear to have been doing is clearly a violation of the law and they 'll be held accountable for it , '' Mapp said . He said he learned his own complex was fumigated with methyl bromide in 2013 , but said there have been no additional reports of people falling ill . Authorities are trying to track down anyone who has stayed at the affected villas or who might have been exposed . Family slowly recovering from illness after Virgin Islands trip . Terminix issued a statement saying it 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 . '' When CNN visited the Terminix office on St. Thomas , which is corporate-owned , an employee refused to comment , and another employee closed the door . Henry said all canisters of methyl bromide known to exist in the area have been confiscated and will be shipped off-island for destruction as soon as possible . In the meantime , an attorney for Esmond and Devine said the family is still struggling . The two teenage boys remain in comas . Their father has regained consciousness and is slowly getting better . Devine is in better condition and is undergoing occupational therapy . DPNR , the local environmental agency , already had been under scrutiny . The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , which has oversight , designated it `` high risk , '' saying the agency `` does not meet management standards . '' The EPA 's inspector general is also investigating . According to the Department of Justice , a former commissioner and two DPNR directors have been sentenced to jail terms since 2008 . That year , Dean C. Plaskett was sentenced to nine years for receiving kickbacks in awarding local government contracts . In 2014 , Roberto Tapia , the Justice Department said , pleaded guilty to using his position to engage in illegal drug trafficking while he was head of that same agency . He was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison . In January , Mapp was sworn in and appointed Henry as a new designee to run the department , so it is under a new administration . A spokeswoman for the EPA said the DPNR has been cooperative in this investigation . She added that none of the troubles the agency has had are directly related to pesticide enforcement , but instead general practices . Mapp said the agency 's problems have nothing to do with what happened to the Devine and Esmond 's family . Instead , he blames the pesticide companies . `` It occurred because someone was cutting corners , thought they could enhance their profit margin and thought they could get away with it , and apparently in my own residence someone had been getting away with it for quite some time , '' Mapp said . Part of the investigation , he said , will be tracking whether the proper paperwork was filled out when the canisters were ordered , or if the pesticide was smuggled in . The Department of Justice is also investigating . `` If they purchased it and on these forms they said their use was for agriculture purposes , which is the only legal way they could use it , and then brought them into the territory and used them in commercial and residential buildings , that 's a clear and malice violation of the law , '' Mapp said .
Methyl bromide is suspected to have been used improperly several times in the U.S. Virgin Islands , local officials say . Teen brothers exposed to the pesticide while on vacation are both in comas ; parents are recovering .