Eighteen correctional officers were rushed to the hospital and a number of inmates were taken to the medical ward after an apparent mass overdose situation at a central Illinois prison.
It happened Wednesday at John A. Graham Correctional Center in Hillsboro, about 50 miles south of Springfield.
The staff members became ill after a prison employee responded to a "medical incident involving individuals in custody who appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance," Department of Corrections spokesperson Naomi Puzzello told the Associated Press.
Staff who responded to the emergency call became ill, some violently, when they came near the affected inmates, Anders Lindall of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, told the AP.
"Those who were in proximity to the inmate were immediately overcome with a variety of symptoms: Lightheadedness, dizziness, vomiting or feeling nauseous," Lindall said.
KTVI described the situation as a potential "mass overdose" between inmates, adding that a call went out to local law enforcement agencies for all available Narcan to be delivered to the prison. The medicine is used for the treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose.
All staff members who potentially encountered the unknown substance were sent to a local hospital, which reached capacity and had to send the rest of the employees to another hospital for treatment. Lindall said most were released but several were kept for observation and testing to determine the cause.
An undisclosed number of inmates were sent to prison's the health care unit for treatment, the AP reported.
The incident remains under investigation by the Illinois State Police hazardous materials team.
Graham Correctional Center, a medium security facility for men, currently houses 1,328 inmates; it has a capacity for 1,596 inmates. According to the state Department of Corrections, the facility houses several special populations, including substance abuse treatment, sex offender treatment and individuals in custody in a kidney dialysis program.
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