11 jail workers treated with Narcan after fentanyl exposure

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) - A northeastern Indiana sheriff says 11 of his jail employees were treated with the overdose antidote Narcan after being exposed to smoke containing the opioid painkiller fentanyl.

Allen County Sheriff David Gladieux tells WANE-TV that jail inmates lit a piece of spice paper laced with fentanyl by using an electrical outlet. He says it caused a fire, and the inmates tried to extinguish it with water, producing more smoke.

Gladieux says a total of 32 guards, a nurse, a police dog handler and his dog received treatment at Fort Wayne-area hospitals.

He says his office is investigating how the inmates obtained the fentanyl. He says no inmates were injured.

Officials say a cleaning crew and a hazardous materials team are working to clean up the affected cell block.

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Information from: WANE-TV, http://www.wane.com/