An explosion rocked the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office evidence incinerator on Wednesday morning, leading to multiple staff members needing treatment for smoke inhalation and exposure to hazardous materials, with one being hospitalized. The incident occurred around 9 a.m. during a standard procedure of destroying evidence for the Galveston Police Department, as reported by Click2Houston.
Following the insertion of items into the incinerator for destruction, an explosion was heard by the staff, which was then followed by a series of secondary blasts, the magnitude of which necessitated a response from the Conroe Fire Department and its HAZMAT team; they extinguished a small ensuing fire and decontaminated the affected area as well as the staff, as per the details shared in a KHOU report.
The surrounding structures, including the crime laboratory, were left intact, sustaining no significant damage from the explosion. In the wake of the blast, the Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office's Hazardous Device Unit has embarked on a post-blast investigation in tandem with the Conroe Fire Department Fire Marshal’s Office and the ATF; they have been joined by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office in their investigative efforts.
In a show of community spirit and appreciation, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office thanked the local agencies for their immediate support, specifically highlighting the Conroe Fire Department, the Conroe Fire Department HAZ-MAT Crew, the Montgomery County Hospital District, the Montgomery County Fire Marshal's Investigators and Bomb Squad, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) for their swift responses, this gratitude was expressed in a post on the MCSO's official Facebook page obtained by Click2Houston.
