17 officers taken to hospital after being exposed to ‘unknown substance’ at federal prison
THOMSON, Ill. (KWQC/Gray News) - Seventeen officers were exposed to an “unknown substance” in the mail room at a federal prison in Thomson, Illinois, on Wednesday.
According to Jon Zumkehr, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 4070, 17 officers at Federal Correctional Institution Thomson were taken to the hospital and a majority of them were given Narcan.
All 17 officers were home recovering by Thursday morning.
Zumkehr said the prison was put on lockdown and the FBI and hazmat team were on site investigating.
“The Federal Bureau of Prisons can no longer remain silent while drug traffickers exploit our mail systems and endanger our staff,” Zumkehr said. “These aren’t just statistics – these are real people with families who deserve to return home safely after their shifts.”
According to a media release from AFGE Local 4070, the union is demanding immediate action from Congress, the age of H.R. 1046 and the implementation of comprehensive screening procedures across all federal correctional facilities.
The Bureau of Prisons confirmed the incident and said some employees were transported to the hospital by emergency management services.
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