Worker Injured By Explosion In Animal Control Gas Chamber

A malfunction in the gas chamber at Lincoln County Animal Control injured a worker early Tuesday.

Joe Davidson said he had just put some animals to sleep and was going back to the chamber to empty it when a fiery blast blew the heavy metal door open, striking his side and burning his arm.

“All of a sudden it just -- kaboom -- and here come the door open, and here come a ball of flame out,” he said.

Davidson said the door, which remained on its hinges, hit him in the ribs. He was treated at a local hospital for bruising and was back at work before lunch.

Fire investigators said something caused gas to build up inside the airtight chamber, and they believe a pilot light might have ignited the gas and caused the explosion.

Lincoln County Animal Control Director Jack Kerley said the chamber was in working order.

“It was inspected within the last 30 days and worked fine,” he said.

An expert determined the blast was caused by an equipment malfunction. The chamber will be shut down until it is repaired Wednesday afternoon.

A similar situation in Iredell County blew the doors off of a gas chamber. Animal activists point to such situations as why the gas chambers should be banned.

Terry Kenny of the Gaston County Animal League said the incident this doesn't surprise her.

“I'm surprised we haven't seen more of these with all the problems with gas chambers,” she said.

She wants shelters to use lethal injections instead.

Kerley said the shelter will use gas chambers in the future along with lethal injections.

“Some dogs are dangerous and hard to control, and you can't use injections with them,” he said.