An Augusta, Georgia, deputy sheriff has died after inhaling a chemical, thought to be liquid nitrogen, the Richmond County coroner reports.
Sergeant Greg Meagher, 57, of the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, was trying to rescue an employee Sunday at a sperm bank and was overcome by the chemical. He and the employee were taken to Augusta University Hospital, where Meagher was pronounced dead, coroner Mark Bowen said.
CNN Affiliate WRDW reported three other deputies were treated when they had trouble breathing at Xytex Corp. in Augusta.
The company’s website says it is a “global provider of human semen to healthcare professionals and their patients.” The company has not responded to CNN’s request for comment.
Bowen said an autopsy would be conducted in Atlanta tomorrow. Results will take several weeks.
The sheriff’s office is planning a news conference Monday at 2:30 p.m.
