NEWTON, Iowa — A possible chemical exposure at an Iowa prison triggered an emergency response Wednesday afternoon, sending at least 15 people to hospitals across central Iowa.
The Newton Fire Department and Jasper County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Newton Correctional Facility around 12:30 p.m. after authorities received reports of a potential chemical exposure.
The incident quickly prompted emergency protocols at the facility as officials worked to determine what substance may have been involved and whether anyone else could be at risk.
Iowa Department of Corrections Chief of Staff Paul Cornelius confirmed that an emergency response was activated following what officials described as a “potential chemical exposure incident.”
The exact nature of the exposure remained unknown Wednesday evening.
Multiple People Transported to Hospitals
As emergency crews responded, multiple people were transported from the facility to hospitals throughout central Iowa.
A Newton fire official told KCCI that as many as 15 people were sent to four hospitals, although authorities said the final number could change as the situation was assessed.
UnityPoint Health officials said four people were transported to a hospital in Grinnell, while another four were taken to Iowa Methodist in Des Moines.
Those patients were reported to have non-life-threatening injuries.
A MercyOne spokesperson also said nine additional patients were transported to medical facilities located between Des Moines and Newton.
Officials have not provided a complete account of the symptoms experienced by those affected.
It also remained unclear whether the people transported for medical treatment were inmates, employees or a combination of both.
Prison Area Secured as Investigation Begins
Following the reported exposure, officials moved quickly to secure the affected area.
Cornelius said the area was secured “out of an abundance of caution” while emergency and safety procedures were put into place.
“The cause and nature of the exposure are actively being investigated,” Cornelius said.
The response involved local emergency agencies as officials attempted to identify the source of the potential chemical exposure and determine how widely it may have affected people inside the facility.
At this stage, authorities have not announced what chemical may have been involved.
The lack of confirmed information has also made it difficult to determine exactly how the incident began or whether there was any ongoing danger at the prison.
Conditions of Those Hospitalized Remain Unclear
Although some patients were reported to have non-life-threatening injuries, officials have not released a full update on the conditions of everyone transported to hospitals.
The number of affected people was also still being determined Wednesday evening.
Officials are expected to provide additional information as investigators establish what happened and review the circumstances surrounding the reported exposure.
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Cornelius said further updates would be released “as verified information becomes available.”
That means key questions—including the substance involved, how people were exposed and whether anyone else experienced symptoms—remain unanswered.
Newton Correctional Facility Houses About 1,000 Inmates
The Newton Correctional Facility is located several miles south of Newton on approximately 1,500 acres of land. The complex includes both maximum-security and medium-security facilities and houses roughly 1,000 inmates.
Because of the size of the facility and the number of people who live and work there, emergency officials treated the reported exposure seriously and activated safety procedures.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not indicated that the incident was intentional.
For now, officials are focused on determining the source of the possible chemical exposure, accounting for everyone who may have been affected and making sure the facility remains safe.
The situation remains under investigation as authorities wait for additional verified information about the incident and the people who were hospitalized.
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