MARION – There was a carbon monoxide issue early Wednesday morning at the Williamson County Jail in Marion.
According to Williamson County Sheriff Bennie Vick, the Marion Fire Department was contacted and asked to conduct air quality tests after several inmates and staff began complaining of headaches and dizziness throughout the morning, beginning with one inmate at 4 a.m.
The tests determined carbon monoxide was present in a small part of the jail, leading to inmates and staff in the affected area being moved to unaffected areas. A small number of inmates and staff were transported to area hospitals as a precaution.
The Marion Fire Department and other fire departments have been on-scene to ventilate the building, with Ameren and engineers also there to determine the source of the carbon monoxide.
Visitation at the jail has been cancelled until further notice. Court cases for some inmates have also been affected with rescheduling necessary.
Additional information will be released as it becomes available.