Updated:
11/22/2012 01:14:00 PM EST
Fire
trucks line up outside York County Prison late Wednesday night after a
carbon monoxide leak in the women's dormitory. (Eileen Joyce/York Daily
Record)
Ambulance
lined up outside York County Prison on Thursday morning after a carbon
monoxide leak. Officials say the situation is now under control. (Eileen
Joyce/York Daily Record)
Updated at 1:10 p.m.: Any lessons learned?
"This was something that I've never encountered before," said York County Prison Warden Mary Sabol. "I believe that we will certainly look into putting carbon monoxide detectors into the facility. I will certainly be discussing that with the facilities manager and the prison board."
Updated at 11 a.m.: Forty-nine inmates were sent to various hospitals for treatment, the county said in a news release. Remaining inmates in the housing unit that was primarily affected, as well as those in a nearby housing unit, were relocated to areas of the prison unaffected by the carbon monoxide, according to the release.
The release says the source of the carbon monoxide is preliminarily believed to be associated with the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system that serves the affected housing unit.
That HVAC system was taken offline, according to the release. Carbon monoxide levels within the affected housing unit and throughout the prison are now normal, the release states.
As of 9 a.m., five inmates remained in various hospitals for treatment, the release states. All other prisoners have returned to the facility and are accounted for.
The housing unit primarily affected by the carbon monoxide exposure remains empty pending further investigation. Prisoners living in that unit have been relocated to other areas within the facility.
Updated at 10:45 a.m.: "I'm certainly concerned about the inmates ... and their families, and hopefully, we'll get answers for them," said York County Commissioner Doug Hoke, who is also president of the county's prison board.
Warden Mary Sabol said the source of the leak was related to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.
Six people were still being treated in hospitals earlier Thursday, according to Sabol. She said other inmates had been returned to the prison.
Hoke and President Commissioner Steve Chronister said county officials will be meeting Friday with officials from the McClure Co. of Harrisburg, which works on heating, ventilation and air conditioning for the prison, as well as on energy efficiency projects.
Hoke called it an "unfortunate situation," but he said it could have been worse.
"It could have been a disaster," Hoke said.
Updated at 9:40 a.m. Thursday: Josette Myers, a spokeswoman for Memorial Hospital, said they had about a dozen people treated there, and it was a combination of prisoners and staff.
"All of them have been released, except for one person," Myers said shortly after 9:30 a.m.
That person was admitted to the hospital.
Myers said the hospital prepares for these types of situations. From a security standpoint, she said each prisoner had a guard.
"We had extra security of our own there, as well," Myers said. "...From our end, it went very smoothly."
Updated at 9:30 a.m. Thursday: Barry Sparks, a spokesman for York Hospital, said they had 38 patients treated for exposure to carbon monoxide. "We used support nursing staff from other areas of the hospital to help treat these patients," Sparks said.
And Sparks said that the York City Police Department also provided extra support for security.
"By 7 a.m. this morning, everybody had been treated in the emergency department," Sparks said.
But Sparks said he didn't know if any of the patients had been admitted to the hospital.
He said he would need names of the inmates who went to the hospital to determine that.
Reported earlier: A gas leak at York County Prison in Springettsbury Township sent 40 to 45 female inmates to local hospitals late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.
"We had some people who had some carbon monoxide poisoning. They're being treated at local hospitals," Warden Mary Sabol said around 2 a.m. Thursday. "It appears that everyone is going to be OK."
Sabol said she was out of town, but deputy warden Clair Doll was at the prison handling the situation. The facilities manager John McCoy was investigating, too.
The situation began around 11 p.m. Wednesday when emergency responders were called to the prison for reports an unknown gas odor. The prison went on lockdown as more than a dozen ambulances, fire trucks and police cars from around the area, including Glen Rock, Dover and White Rose, responded to the scene.
Sabol said the gas was carbon monoxide.
About 40 to 45 female inmates from the female dormitory inside the prison were treated for exposure. The dormitory houses about 90 women, Sabol said.
Prison officials were investigating the cause early Thursday morning.
"I certainly commend the staff that was there," Sabol said.
A Memorial Hospital spokeswoman said a dozen patients were being treated there. A York Hospital spokesman said patients were also being treated there. Citing patient privacy regulations, he said he could not release the names of any of the inmates.
Sabol said two inmates were taken to Lehigh.
Springettsbury Township Police Chief Tom Hyers said his department helped to secure the scene, but that Pennsylvania State Police were responsible for the grounds themselves. Early Thursday morning, state police said they were notified of the situation but were not responding.
Prison officials said they planned to issue a release Thursday morning.
Also of interest
York County vacated old Chestnut Street jail in 1979, and inmates moved to current prison
York County Prison carbon monoxide leak traced to HVAC system
Most inmates have returned to the Springettsbury Township prison, as of Thursday afternoon.
Updated:
11/22/2012 11:09:27 PM EST
Fire
trucks and police cars are parked outside York County Prison early
Thursday after a carbon monoxide leak sent prisoners to area hospitals.
(DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - EILEEN JOYCE)
As of 3:15 p.m. Thursday, all inmates had returned to prison, according to a county news release.
"I'm certainly concerned about the inmates ... and their families, and hopefully, we'll get answers for them," said York County Commissioner Doug Hoke, who is also president of the county's prison board.
County officials said the cause of the leak was believed to be associated with the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system that serves the affected housing unit.
Hoke and President Commissioner Steve Chronister said county officials will be meeting Friday with officials from the McClure Co. of Harrisburg, which works on HVAC and energy efficiency projects for the prison. McClure Co. could not be reached for comment Thursday.
"We're going to find out a lot more," Chronister said Thursday.
Hoke called it an "unfortunate situation," but he said it could have been worse. "It could have been a disaster," Hoke said.
York County Prison Warden Mary Sabol said the situation was one she "never encountered before."
Sabol, a former chief deputy warden of the county prison, took over as the interim director of the facility in February 2008. She was then appointed permanently to the position of warden in April 2008. She said prison leaders will look into adding carbon monoxide detectors in the facility.
"I will certainly be discussing that with the facilities manager and the prison board," she said.
The
visitor parking lot at York County Prison was full Thursday afternoon
after prisoners were taken to York and Memorial hospitals after a carbon
monoxide leak. (DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - REBECCA LeFEVER)
"We had some people who had some carbon monoxide poisoning. They're being treated at local hospitals," Sabol said around 2 a.m. Thursday. "It appears that everyone is going to be OK."
Sabol said she was out of town, but deputy warden Clair Doll was at the prison handling the situation early Thursday morning. The facilities manager John McCoy was investigating, too.
"I certainly commend the staff that was there," Sabol said.
Battalion Chief Daniel Hoff with York Area United Fire and Rescue said fire crews were on the scene until about 3 a.m. Thursday to return levels of carbon monoxide to normal.
Hoff said the fire department's detection equipment picks up the poison at 25 parts per million, but in many parts of the prison it was up to 100 parts per million. Anything more than 35 parts per million can start to give someone flu-like symptoms, he said.
"The longer you are exposed, the worse the symptoms," Hoff said.
Both gas and electric fans were brought in to ventilate the building one section at a time, he said.
More than 13 EMS units, in addition to the department's advance life support responders, were on scene to transport patients to York and Memorial hospitals, Hoff added.
One
ambulance leaves York County Prison as another arrives early Thursday
after a carbon monoxide leak sent nearly 50 female inmates to area
hospitals. (DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - EILEEN JOYCE
"I think that by the time they were contacted, everything was under control," Sabol said early Thursday afternoon.
* * *
Most patients were taken to Memorial Hospital and York Hospital,
according to Sabol. She said two people were taken to Lehigh, and that
would have been the decision of hospital staff.
Sabol said two prison staff members also went to be checked out as a precautionary measure.
Josette Myers, spokeswoman for Memorial Hospital, said the facility had about a dozen people treated there, and it was a combination of prisoners and staff. "All of them have been released, except for one person," Myers said shortly after 9:30 a.m. Thursday. That person was admitted to the hospital.
Myers said the hospital prepares for these types of situations. From a security standpoint, she said each prisoner had a guard.
"We had extra security of our own there, as well," Myers said. "...From our end, it went very smoothly."
Barry Sparks, spokesman for York Hospital, said they had 38 patients treated for exposure to carbon monoxide.
"We used support nursing staff from other areas of the hospital to help treat these patients," Sparks said.
And York City Police Department also provided extra support for security, Sparks said.
"By 7 a.m. this (Thursday) morning, everybody had been treated in the emergency department," Sparks said.
But Sparks said he would need names of inmates who went to the hospital to determine if, and how many, patients had been admitted to the hospital. County spokesman Carl Lindquist said that, for privacy reasons, the county could not release names of inmates treated.
* * *
In a news release shortly before 11 a.m. Thursday, the county said
emergency responders checked all housing units within the prison for
carbon monoxide, and they also helped ventilate the affected areas and
return them to safe levels.
"We just needed to introduce fresh air into the facility," Sabol said.
The HVAC system that served the affected housing unit was taken offline, and carbon monoxide levels within that unit and throughout the prison were normal, according to the news release.
The housing unit primarily affected by the carbon monoxide exposure remained empty pending further investigation, according to the release. And the county said prisoners living in that unit have been relocated to other areas within the facility.
Sabol said the incident did not affect visitation schedules Thursday.
"To the best of my understanding, activities returned to normal," said Sabol.
@edmahonreporter; 771-2089
"I'm just thankful there were no fatalities," said Commissioner Chris Reilly. "...We'll sit down and review it thoroughly."
The CDC says carbon monoxide poisoning can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms mimic other illnesses. People who are sleeping or intoxicated can die from carbon monoxide poisoning before experiencing symptoms.
"In this particular case, most inmates returned to the institution in a couple of hours," Sabol said. "... We would answer any inquiries at the jail."
See previously reported information here.
Also of interest
York County vacated old Chestnut Street jail in 1979, and inmates moved to current prison
Sabol said two prison staff members also went to be checked out as a precautionary measure.
Josette Myers, spokeswoman for Memorial Hospital, said the facility had about a dozen people treated there, and it was a combination of prisoners and staff. "All of them have been released, except for one person," Myers said shortly after 9:30 a.m. Thursday. That person was admitted to the hospital.
Myers said the hospital prepares for these types of situations. From a security standpoint, she said each prisoner had a guard.
"We had extra security of our own there, as well," Myers said. "...From our end, it went very smoothly."
Barry Sparks, spokesman for York Hospital, said they had 38 patients treated for exposure to carbon monoxide.
"We used support nursing staff from other areas of the hospital to help treat these patients," Sparks said.
And York City Police Department also provided extra support for security, Sparks said.
"By 7 a.m. this (Thursday) morning, everybody had been treated in the emergency department," Sparks said.
But Sparks said he would need names of inmates who went to the hospital to determine if, and how many, patients had been admitted to the hospital. County spokesman Carl Lindquist said that, for privacy reasons, the county could not release names of inmates treated.
"We just needed to introduce fresh air into the facility," Sabol said.
The HVAC system that served the affected housing unit was taken offline, and carbon monoxide levels within that unit and throughout the prison were normal, according to the news release.
The housing unit primarily affected by the carbon monoxide exposure remained empty pending further investigation, according to the release. And the county said prisoners living in that unit have been relocated to other areas within the facility.
Sabol said the incident did not affect visitation schedules Thursday.
"To the best of my understanding, activities returned to normal," said Sabol.
@edmahonreporter; 771-2089
About McClure Co.
In September, York County commissioners approved a contract with McClure Co. of Harrisburg to provide preventative maintenance services for HVAC equipment through August 2015 at several county facilities, including the prison, judicial center, administrative center and emergency services center.Quotable
"I'm just thankful there were no fatalities," said Commissioner Chris Reilly. "...We'll sit down and review it thoroughly."
About carbon monoxide poisoning
The most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. High levels of inhalation can cause loss of consciousness and death.The CDC says carbon monoxide poisoning can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms mimic other illnesses. People who are sleeping or intoxicated can die from carbon monoxide poisoning before experiencing symptoms.
Contacting families
York County Prison Warden Mary Sabol said next of kin for inmates are typically notified if an inmate is admitted to a hospital."In this particular case, most inmates returned to the institution in a couple of hours," Sabol said. "... We would answer any inquiries at the jail."
See previously reported information here.
Also of interest
York County vacated old Chestnut Street jail in 1979, and inmates moved to current prison
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