14 Montana animal shelter workers hospitalized after meth evidence burn sends fumes through building

Fourteen employees of the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter in Billings, Montana, were hospitalized after breathing methamphetamine-laced smoke that seeped into the facility during a routine FBI evidence burn, city officials said.

Shelter staff reported dizziness, headaches and coughing and were taken to Billings Clinic, where they were treated in hyperbaric oxygen chambers. All 14 employees were released from the hospital by Thursday morning, officials said.

The smoke entered the shelter within minutes of a fire in an adjacent crematorium where law enforcement was destroying methamphetamine evidence, according to shelter director Triniti Halverson and city officials. Shelter employees scrambled to evacuate roughly 50 to 70 animals, washing them and moving them into foster homes or veterinary clinics to prevent further exposure.

"Then the little bit longer that I could smell it, I knew that it was something burning in the crematorium," Halverson said. "Several of my staff were coughing, sweating, just dizzy, physically feeling ill."

Shelter staff and volunteers described a rapid escalation as fumes were pulled into the building through the HVAC system. Izzy Zalenski, the shelter’s community engagement coordinator, said the heating, ventilation and air‑conditioning system was not designed to handle chemical burns and quickly drew contaminated air indoors. Lisette Worthey, the trap‑neuter‑return coordinator, said she and others began having symptoms while removing kittens and other animals from the smoke.

Assistant City Administrator Kevin Iffland said a negative air pressure issue caused the toxic smoke to be pulled back into the shelter instead of venting outside. Iffland acknowledged that safety fans intended to offset the pressure were not switched on and said the city is investigating why established protocols failed.

Several FBI personnel at the burn were also hospitalized for exposure but were released on the same day, officials added. The burn was described by city officials as a routine destruction of methamphetamine evidence in the incinerator.

Halverson said she had previously warned the city about smoke leaking into the shelter during past drug burns and had offered to pay for private cremation services to avoid the risk. She told reporters that while animal cremations had not caused problems in the past, chemical evidence burns repeatedly filled the shelter with harsh odors.

All animals evacuated were washed and placed with foster families or veterinary clinics. Halverson said several week‑old kittens with respiratory issues were taken to a nearby clinic for special monitoring. The shelter remained closed while restoration crews cleaned the building and officials determined whether it was safe to reopen.

City officials said they are reviewing procedures for evidence disposal and equipment operation to prevent a recurrence. The Billings Clinic treated the exposed employees with oxygen therapy and provided follow‑up evaluations as needed. No long‑term health assessments have been reported.

The incident is under local investigation as officials examine whether protocols were followed and what additional safeguards are necessary when conducting chemical evidence destruction near occupied facilities.