BILLINGS - Billings city officials confirmed Thursday that smoke from drug incineration left multiple employees at the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter sickened earlier this week.
Assistant City Administrator Kevin Iffland says the FBI was burning methamphetamine inside the animal control incinerator, a facility owned by the City of Billings.
Iffland says the incinerator experienced a “negative pressure issue,” pushing smoke into the shelter. As many as 14 employees became ill and were taken to both Billings Clinic and Intermountain Health, with some requiring treatment inside a hyperbaric chamber.
The smoke impacted the dog side of the shelter, where staff quickly evacuated the animals outdoors. Cats were also moved into crates and taken outside.
All animals were evacuated safely and moved into foster care or off site.
Iffland said the Billings Police Department and FBI have long used the incinerator to dispose of narcotics. The machine was renovated within the past year after experiencing a similar negative pressure error.
According to Iffland, the police department follows a set schedule for destroying prescription drugs and narcotics, notifying the health department and keeping records of each disposal. Animal Control is present during the drug burns.
