News brief: Jail kitchen emptied out because of chemical exposure

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – An inmate working in the kitchen at the Lewis County Jail inadvertently mixed household cleaning chemicals today causing a reaction that prompted an evacuation from a portion of the facility.

The chemical exposure was contained to the kitchen area, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said the main jail population is unaffected.

The kitchen area was evacuated, with two staff members and approximately eight inmates removed to be evaluated by jail medical personnel, according to Breen.

The Chehalis Fire Department responded to the call shortly after 3:30 p.m. and began to ventilate the area as well as contain the mixture of chemicals into one container, according to Breen.

Hazardous materials response personnel are en route in order to dispose of the mixture, he stated in a press release.

The sheriff’s office is asking the public to limit phone calls to the jail while clean up operations are underway.

Breen said he didn’t know what the inmate worker mixed together or specifically how anyone was affected.

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