Two inmates from the Edmonton Remand Centre were taken to hospital Wednesday morning after possible drug overdoses.
One of the inmates was in “very serious condition,” according to a spokesperson with Alberta Justice and Solicitor General.
Correctional staff were conducting rounds on Wednesday morning when they found an inmate unresponsive in his cell. An emergency code was initiated when staff were unable to wake him.
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Medical staff at the facility began emergency first aid and administered naloxone “to address the possibility of drug overdose,” Alberta Justice spokesperson Dan Laville said Wednesday afternoon. Naloxone is a medication designed to rapidly reverse the effects of opioids.
While staff treated the man, peace officers checked other cells on the unit where they found a second unresponsive inmate in a separate cell. Naloxone was also administered to treat the second man.
Paramedics took both men to hospital where one remained in very serious condition late Wednesday afternoon. The other inmate has recovered and was expected to return to the remand centre Wednesday.
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Alberta Justice said multiple security measures are in place at the facility to help identify contraband, including drug detection dogs and regularly scheduled rounds and checks. In October, the remand centre unveiled new body-scanning technology in hopes of improving safety at the facility.
The Edmonton Remand Centre is a correctional facility with a capacity of 1,952 inmates.
An internal investigation into both incidents will be launched.
No staff members were injured.
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