Six sheriff's office employees sickened after carbon monoxide leak

Six Gage County Sheriff's Office employees have filed insurance reports after becoming ill last month due to a carbon monoxide leak at the sheriff's department building, according to county records.

However, Sheriff Millard “Gus” Gustafson said in an interview Friday that contrary to rumors he had heard, the employees filed routine reports with the Gage County Board of Supervisors and were not suing the county.

“I've heard some people say they were suing the county, but they were just filing papers that anyone in the department who becomes ill or injured on the job file,” Gustafson said.

Gustafson said the illnesses came after roofers who installed a new roof last year accidentally damaged a furnace vent in the garage area. He said it was no problem while the weather remained warm, but once cold weather began and the heat was turned on, carbon monoxide was released into the garage.

Fortunately, he said, opening the garage door to let vehicles in and out helped disperse the gas.

Nevertheless, some of the gas escaped into part of the department's work area, where six employees reported headaches and nausea.