The Conroe Fire Department said it was called to the Montgomery County Jail on Wednesday morning for an explosion. They added that crews set up a decontamination area while hazmat technicians gathered samples to determine the cause of the blast.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office said that the explosions took place at the Crime Lab facility's evidence incinerator.
The sheriff's office said that shortly after loading the incinerator with evidence for destruction, staff members heard an explosion. As they made their way to the incinerator, multiple secondary blasts occurred, MCSO said.
Investigators said that multiple staff members were treated at the scene by Montgomery County Health District medics for smoke inhalation and hazardous materials exposure. They added that one employee was taken to the hospital as a precaution and is expected to make a full recovery.
A small fire broke out following the explosions, but MCSO said there was no significant damage to the lab or surrounding buildings.
While MCSO did not disclose what evidence was loaded into the incinerator, they did share that it was being destroyed for the Galveston Police Department, one of the agencies that routinely partners with them for assistance with evidence destruction.
The Montgomery County Fire Marshal's Office said it's leading the investigation into the blasts with help from the Conroe Fire Department Fire Marshal's Office, the ATF, and the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office.