Drug P May Have Caused Prison Emergency
Natasha Holland
Stuff.co.nz
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Invercargill, Southland, (NewZealand):
The mystery chemical that caused Invercargill Prison staff to be taken to hospital may have been the drug P – pure methamphetamine.
On Wednesday up to 14 people were affected by chemical fumes. All but one of those affected were prison officers. The other, a firefighter who attended the incident, was also treated at hospital. Yesterday Corrections Association of New Zealand president Beven Hanlon said he could not say for certain but every indication was the substance was the drug P.
Mr Hanlon, along with the association's vice-president and secretary, worked at the Invercargill Prison yesterday to enable regular staff to attend incident debrief meetings. The incident unfolded after two guards, on a routine patrol, noted a prisoner smoking in his cells and drugs were suspected, Mr Hanlon said.
"The guards entered the cell and the prisoner burnt something or threw something in the air that went up in a puff of smoke," he said. The prisoner was isolated and the cell searched. It was 15 minutes later that staff started to feel ill and have trouble breathing, he said.
Dec 02, 2005
Natasha Holland
Stuff.co.nz
________
Invercargill, Southland, (NewZealand):
The mystery chemical that caused Invercargill Prison staff to be taken to hospital may have been the drug P – pure methamphetamine.
On Wednesday up to 14 people were affected by chemical fumes. All but one of those affected were prison officers. The other, a firefighter who attended the incident, was also treated at hospital. Yesterday Corrections Association of New Zealand president Beven Hanlon said he could not say for certain but every indication was the substance was the drug P.
Mr Hanlon, along with the association's vice-president and secretary, worked at the Invercargill Prison yesterday to enable regular staff to attend incident debrief meetings. The incident unfolded after two guards, on a routine patrol, noted a prisoner smoking in his cells and drugs were suspected, Mr Hanlon said.
"The guards entered the cell and the prisoner burnt something or threw something in the air that went up in a puff of smoke," he said. The prisoner was isolated and the cell searched. It was 15 minutes later that staff started to feel ill and have trouble breathing, he said.
Dec 02, 2005
