A mixture of heroin and fentanyl has been identified as the substance exposed at the Ross Correction Institution Wednesday morning.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol reports that it caused an apparent overdose of one inmate, and required medical attention for 27 staff members, at RCI north of Chillicothe. It also caused the closure on State Route 104 for a few hours.
A total of 29 individuals were possibly exposed to the mixture, and 24 of them required treatment. 23 correction officers, four nurses, and one inmate were transported to the hospital. One inmate was treated on scene.
As of 11pm, one staff member / first responder and one inmate remained hospitalized. All other employees had been discharged. About 31 inmates who were not affected were removed from the cellblock and relocated inside the facility.
A sample of the substance had been relayed to the Ohio State Highway Patrol crime lab for testing. The situation remains under investigation by the Patrol.