BELLEFONTE – An employee was taken to the hospital after a possible “exposure incident” Wednesday evening at the State Correctional Institution at Benner Township.
According to a Pennsylvania Department of Corrections news release, an inmate was removed from his cell for placement in an observation cell. Afterward, two corrections officers entered the cell to clean it out.
The first officer picked up a pair of socks and took them apart, reportedly causing a white powder to puff from the sock and hit him in the face. The officers were wearing gloves.
The first officer began to show symptoms of exposure by hanging his head and not responding when his name was called, officials said.
The officer was subsequently escorted to the prison’s medical department, where it was determined that he should be taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center.
The cell has been isolated, officials said, adding that it will not be used until the special team is able to clean the cell.
