Gas Leak Continues To Shut Down Fulton Co. Jail Kitchen: Sheriff

ATLANTA, GA — Four days after carbon monoxide was detected at the Fulton County Jail, kitchen operations remained unsteady as of Friday, forcing jail staff to resort to alternatives to feed inmates and workers.

The carbon monoxide leak was first detected Monday night, prompting a shut down of the jail's kitchen, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office said.

Contract jail workers were treated after they began showing symptoms related to carbon monoxide, including nausea, Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat said. The gas itself is odorless and colorless.

Fifteen workers were evaluated, and two transported themselves to a hospital, authorities said.

A private contractor confirmed the presence of a high amount of carbon monoxide in the kitchen, with other parts of the jail not impacted, authorities said. The gas was traced to one of the jail's eight kettles in the kitchen.

"This leak is yet another example of the challenges caused by an aging, underfunded jail with infrastructure problems that have led to other resident health issues and stabbings with weapons fashioned from parts of the building," authorities said in a news release.

Since Monday, no high levels of carbon monoxide were discovered after a test of the kettles; but, authorities said Friday that the kettles are unable to be used until exhaust fans and a vent hood become operable.

With four required to be considered fully operational, authorities said only three kettles were working. Repairs were still being made on the remaining kettles.

The four kettles are needed to prepare as many as 8,000-11,000 daily meals, authorities said.

Kitchen staff contractors partnered with Atlanta Public Schools to prepare hot meals at a local elementary school to serve inmates, authorities said.

"The school kitchen is much smaller than the jail kitchen, so they have had to modify the menu and use our partners to augment the menu, including the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office," authorities said.

Jail staff are being fed meals provided by various external catering companies, authorities said.

Meanwhile, motors for the vent hood were being installed Friday, and one of the two air conditioning units in the kitchen was up and running. Authorities hoped the second unit would be functional Friday.

Some gas has been restored to the kitchen though Atlanta Gas Light have shut down specific gas lines leading to some equipment amid repairs, authorities said.

Additionally, the jail's South Annex facility in Union City has not received hot water since around 5:45 p.m. Thursday. Authorities said a new hot water tank was in the process of being installed Friday morning.

It is unknown when the kitchen at the Rice Street Jail will become fully operational.