15 people have been rushed to hospital following reports of a "potential chemical exposure incident" at an Iowa prison. As reported by the New York Post, the concerning incident happened on Wednesday, September 2.
The incident occurred at the Newton Correctional Facility. The Newton Fire Department confirmed that they responded to a call alongside the Jasper County Sheriff's Office at around 12:30pm Wednesday.
It has been confirmed that "at least" 15 people were sent to four separate hospitals across central Iowa. UnityPoint Health confirmed that four people were taken to a hospital in Grinnell, with four others being taken to Iowa Methodist, in Des Moines.
The other nine were confirmed to have been placed in medical facilities "between Des Moines and Newton".
The Des Moines patients were confirmed to have "non-life-threatening" injuries. It is currently unclear whether the 15 affected were inmates of the prison, or employees. Their condition also remains unclear. There are around 1,000 inmates in the prison.
The exact nature of the chemical incident also remains unclear - there has been no information released regarding the chemical itself, nor its possible deadliness.
However, the Newton Daily News reported that individuals had become "sick". Sources indicated to the outlet that a possible cause of the chemical incident was ongoing construction on the prison's roof. However, nothing has been confirmed at this time.
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A Prison Official Released a Statement About the Chemical Incident
Paul Cornelius, Iowa's Department of Corrections' Chief of Staff, released a statement about the incident, per WHO 13 Des Moines.
"Emergency protocols were activated today at Newton Correctional Facility following a potential chemical exposure incident on-site," he said. "Out of an abundance of caution, the area has been secured, and relevant safety and emergency response procedures were implemented immediately."
He added, "The safety and well being of our staff and the individuals in our care remain our highest priority. The cause and nature of the exposure are actively being investigated, and further updates will be provided as verified information becomes available."
We hope that everyone recovers from the chemical incident. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected.
