FBI Meth Burn Hospitalizes 14 Yellowstone Animal Shelter Staff

A controlled burn of two pounds of seized methamphetamine by the FBI at the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter in Billings, Montana, led to smoke filling the building due to negative pressure, resulting in the hospitalization of 14 shelter staff members. The incinerator, typically used for disposing of euthanized animals but also employed by law enforcement to burn narcotics, inadvertently pushed toxic smoke back inside the shelter, exposing both workers and around 75 cats and dogs to hazardous fumes. Shelter executive director Triniti Halverson stated she was unaware of the drug burn, emphasizing the unintentional exposure to meth smoke. All exposed staff received medical treatment, including time in hyperbaric oxygen chambers, while the affected animals were relocated or fostered and provided veterinary care. The shelter remains closed pending contamination testing, with restoration efforts expected to take weeks, and local authorities are investigating whether the incinerator operated at the correct temperature and reviewing safety protocols to prevent similar incidents. Public outcry has arisen over the decision to conduct drug burns within city limits, highlighting concerns about the safety of such procedures.