Inmates and workers exposed to hazardous chemical mixture at jail
About 10 people underwent medical evaluations and were being monitored at the Lewis County Jail on Saturday afternoon after a hazardous chemical reaction.
“Shortly after 3:30 pm this afternoon, an inmate working in the kitchen area of the jail inadvertently mixed household cleaning chemicals, causing an instant chemical reaction,” Lewis County Sheriff’s Special Services Chief Dusty Breen wrote in a news release. “The kitchen area was evacuated, and approximately eight inmates and two kitchen staff members present have been removed from the area and evaluated by jail medical personnel.”
The Chehalis Fire Department responded to the scene, and began to ventilate the area. A hazardous material response team in en route to dispose of the mixture, Breen said. The exposure was contained to the kitchen area, Breen said.
“Due to this disruption we are asking the public to help us in limiting phone calls to the jail at this time while clean-up operations are underway,” Breen wrote.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated if more information is released.
Lisa Pemberton: 360-754-5433, @Lisa_Pemberton
This story was originally published July 8, 2017 at 5:53 PM with the headline "Inmates and workers exposed to hazardous chemical mixture at jail."