Paul Hamby

An eruption of potentially meth-contaminated smoke shuttered a Billings animal shelter Wednesday.

FBI personnel utilizing an incinerator to destroy methamphetamine led to a cloud of smoke inundating the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter. Multiple people went to the hospital in the wake of the incident, and all the animals in the shelter were removed.

The shelter will remain closed until crews determine that meth has not contaminated the building, Billings Assistant City Administrator Kevin Iffland said.

The incinerator itself is located at the City of Billings Animal Control office on Monad Road. The Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter shares the same building. While normally used for burning animal carcasses, local law enforcement uses the incinerator to destroy narcotics whe

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