(NewsNation) — A shocking incident unfolded at an animal shelter in Billings, Montana, where the FBI’s controlled burn of seized meth resulted in 14 staff members hospitalized and 75 pets forced to evacuate.
According to a statement from the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter, the smoke emitted due to a malfunctioning incinerator during the drug disposal process.
Triniti Halverson, the shelter’s Executive Director, expressed her shock: “I can firmly and confidently say that I wasn’t informed that we were dealing with such dangerous narcotics right here on site,” she stated.
Halverson recounted, “When the smoke began flooding one of our rooms for isolating cats, I immediately told the team to put on their COVID masks and start evacuating the animals.”
The shelter elaborated that the incinerator was typically used for disposing of euthanized animals, but had been repurposed by law enforcement for burning seized drugs.
As a result of the smoke exposure, multiple staff members were sent to the emergency room for treatment related to inhalation. Fortunately, the displaced animals received immediate veterinary care and temporary accommodations.
YVAC has announced that a restoration team is now working to decontaminate the building, with the process expected to last between two weeks and a month.
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