Idaho town told not to drink water amid contamination fear

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Residents of an Idaho town have been told not to drink its well water amid concerns that a fired municipal worker found dead in his home may have contaminated it, officials said Friday.

Tom Young, 62, was found dead Thursday by emergency workers who were sent to a hospital after entering his residence in Dietrich.

Young had been fired on May 9 following an altercation that involved police, Dietrich Mayor Don Heiken said, declining to elaborate on the incident.

Court records say Young had been charged with felony robbery and misdemeanor counts of battery and intentional destruction of property. He pleaded not guilty and posted a $600 bond.

Heiken said there’s concern Young contaminated the well that serves the community of 300 people. However, he noted that it was unclear if Young would have had access to city property because he turned in his keys the day he got fired.

Tests on the water should be completed later Friday, said Mike Brown of the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.

“We surveyed the system and saw nothing out of the ordinary and no evidence of tampering,” he said.

He said Young had a large amount of fertilizer in his home and the tests will determine if there is fertilizer or other substances in the water used by residents of the agricultural town about 125 miles east of Boise. 

Emergency responders went to Young’s home on a report of an unresponsive person.

Eight people, including responders, became ill after entering the residence, Lincoln County Disaster Services Coordinator Payson Reese said.

“When the body was removed everybody started to get sick,” Reese said.

Reese said the people reported being nauseous and one person suffered chest pains. They were sent to hospitals and later released.

It’s not yet clear how Young died or what sickened the emergency responders, but Reese said a nitrogen canister was found in the home.

Nitrogen is common in the atmosphere, but breathing too much can reduce oxygen levels in people.

Brown said nitrogen by itself wouldn’t harm the city’s drinking water.

Young was scheduled to appear in court on the same day he was found dead.