Georgia Sheriff's Sgt died after being exposed to toxins

[KevDen2005]

Sergeant Greg Meagher died after being exposed to liquid nitrogen fumes while attempting to rescue a woman at a medical facility at 1100 Emmett Street in Augusta.

He and several other deputies had responded to the facility and were told that a woman was unconscious inside. The deputies entered the facility to rescue the woman and were overcome by the fumes. Fire department personnel arrived on the scene and were able to remove Sergeant Meagher and the employee. They were both transported to Augusta University Hospital where Sergeant Meagher passed away.

The other three deputies were treated for their exposure to the toxins.

Sergeant Meagher had served with the Richmond County Sheriff's Office for 33 years. In 2004 he was shot in the face while assigned to a federal narcotics task force.

Please contact the following agency to send condolences or to obtain funeral arrangements:
Sheriff Richard Roundtree
Richmond County Sheriff's Office
400 Walton Way
Augusta, GA 30901

Phone: (706) 821-1080

[Dave]

Wait, the guy who played Shaft is a county sheriff?

[clodhopper]

When did nitrogen become a toxin? isn't 78% of what we breath nitrogen? If so, he asphyxiated, not died of contamination of a toxin.

[Monky]

When did nitrogen become a toxin? isn't 78% of what we breath nitrogen? If so, he asphyxiated, not died of contamination of a toxin.

Comprehension is a wonderful thing.

While the 'gas' coming off of liquid nitrogen would simply asphyxiate you the 'fumes' are a tad bit cold... they can severely 'burn' the skin around the mouth, larynx, all the way down to those little bronchial things.. So yes the fumes can kill. Or you can go inhale some if you'd like and test your theory.

[USMC88-93]

When did nitrogen become a toxin? isn't 78% of what we breath nitrogen? If so, he asphyxiated, not died of contamination of a toxin.

It was toxic enough to kill him, the word toxin in this case was not being used in the most literal manner. Same thing happens in underground enclosed electrical vaults and sewers. They must be blown out and oxygen circulated to make them less "toxic"

[KevDen2005]

When did nitrogen become a toxin? isn't 78% of what we breath nitrogen? If so, he asphyxiated, not died of contamination of a toxin.

I'm not a doctor

[Irving]

Either way, that's a bummer. He put his life on the line to save someone.

[MarkCO]

Gaseous Nitrogen will displace air and asphyxiate, as will a bunch of other gases, but it is not a toxin. It does not have enough thermal mass to cause freeze burns either. Air in the -60F degree range can be safely breathed for a short duration with no freezing. There are several cases of people breathing pure Nitrogen boiling off the liquid with no burns...mostly idiot kids thinking it would be like Nitrous.

http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~choi/MSD...s/NITROGEN.pdf

[crays]

So he drowned?

Ug. Stupid reporters.

Gaseous Nitrogen will displace air and asphyxiate, as will a bunch of other gases, but it is not a toxin. It does not have enough thermal mass to cause freeze burns either. Air in the -60F degree range can be safely breathed for a short duration with no freezing. There are several cases of people breathing pure Nitrogen boiling off the liquid with no burns...mostly idiot kids thinking it would be like Nitrous.

http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~choi/MSD...s/NITROGEN.pdf

Asphyxia due to oxygen displacement.

Markco saved me from some typing, by responding this way.

[TheGrey]

This was due to a leak at a storage facility that does cyropreservation for cells and medical tissues. They believe he died from inhaling liquid nitrogen while attempting to rescue a female employee, but it won't be confirmed until results from the autopsy come back.

RIP, Sergeant Greg Meagher.