Carbon monoxide leak sends sheriff’s office employees to hospital

TYLER – Smith County officials have updated an earlier report, now saying that a carbon monoxide leak sent two sheriff’s office employees to the hospital. Initial reports mentioned just one worker. According to our news partner KETK, Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Larry Christian said the leak at the central jail was responded to by the Tyler Fire Department around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Christian said one officer was transported to UT Health Tyler, treated overnight, and released on Thursday. Another officer was taken to the hospital and released the same day. Sheriff Larry Smith said the carbon monoxide leak came from a boiler. According to Christian, no inmates were injured in the course of the leak, which has since been repaired. According to the Centers for Disease Control, carbon monoxide poisoning hospitalizes more 14,000 people per year in the United States.