AUGUSTA, GA — A sergeant with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office is dead after he was trying to rescue a worker at a local business when he was overcome by chemicals.
Officials say Sgt. Greg Meagher died after inhaling an “unknown chemical substance,” at Xytex Corporation on Emmett Street in Augusta. The coroner reports he was pronounced dead at 4:33 Sunday afternoon at Augusta University Medical Center.
The Augusta Fire Department and a HazMat team arrived at Xytex around 4 p.m. on Sunday, February 5 after someone reported a nitrogen leak, according to Augusta EMA.
Officials say Meagher entered the building to try to rescue an employee. They believe he inhaled liquid nitrogen.
Medics transported Meagher and a female Xytex employee to a local hospital. In total, four deputies and one employee were transported to the hospital, officials say.
HazMat team members were able to shut off liquid nitrogen tanks at the scene. No firefighters were injured.
An autopsy for Meagher is scheduled for Monday, February 6.
