Explosion at sheriff’s crime lab near Houston leaves several employees injured

An explosion at a crime lab incinerator injured several employees of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office in Conroe, Texas, according to local officials.

The incident occurred around 9 a.m. on Wednesday while staff were conducting routine evidence destruction for the Galveston Police Department, the sheriff’s office said in a statement. Shortly after the materials were loaded into the incinerator, a loud explosion was heard, followed by several smaller blasts.

A small fire broke out but was quickly extinguished by sheriff’s office personnel before the Conroe Fire Department arrived to continue firefighting and oversee cleanup. The department’s hazardous materials team decontaminated the area and collected samples to help determine what caused the explosion.

Several employees were treated on-site for smoke inhalation and chemical exposure, and one was taken to a local hospital for evaluation as a precaution. The sheriff’s office said the employee is expected to make a full recovery.

Authorities said the building sustained no significant structural damage. The Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office is leading the investigation, assisted by the Conroe Fire Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and other local agencies.

Conroe, the seat of Montgomery County, is located about 40 miles north of Houston.