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| Portion of Jail Evacuated due to Fumes |
| By Southeast Missourian |
| Published: 01/23/2006 |
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The Missouri's Cape Girardeau County Jail was partially evacuated Sunday afternoon after carbon monoxide was discovered leaking in from a malfunctioning natural gas exhaust vent. Sheriff John Jordan said officials determined atmospheric conditions initiated the incident. The wind and barometric pressure caused an exhaust vent to malfunction, and rather than releasing the gas, carbon monoxide was sucked into the jail's F-pod and two employee areas. Jordan said inmates in the jail's F-pod started complaining of headaches and nausea around noon. Shortly after, jail employees started experiencing the same symptoms and the smell of gas was present. Atmos Gas Co. was notified and carbon monoxide levels were detected in several areas of the jail. Jackson firefighters and emergency personnel were also called to assist. Sheriff's deputies transported four inmates to Saint Francis Medical Center where they were treated and returned to jail. Maintenance crews made adjustments to the exhaust pipe and Jordan said the fire department had been checking carbon monoxide levels throughout the afternoon. Thirty-two inmates were being housed at the time in F-pod and seven employees were affected in the jail's communication and viewing areas. The jail's six other pods were not evacuated because no levels of carbon monoxide were detected. All inmates returned to the area by 5 p.m. on Sunday and normal operations resumed. |
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