Nine workers at a Minnesota prison fell ill and were hospitalized after being exposed to unknown synthetic substances possessed by men who are incarcerated.

Nine workers at a Minnesota prison were hospitalized Thursday after being exposed to unknown substances and becoming ill.

BAYPORT, Minn. (KFGO) – Stillwater state prison southeast of the Twin Cities was placed on temporary lockdown Thursday after staff members were exposed to suspected synthetic drugs and had to be taken to the hospital. The Department of Corrections says guards responded to a report of a prisoner smoking an unknown substance in his cell.

Nine employees at Minnesota Correctional Facility–Stillwater were taken to the hospital on Thursday after being exposed to a "stronger-than-expected" dose of synthetic marijuana being smoked by an inmate,

Nine staff members at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Stillwater were treated at a hospital and released Thursday after being exposed to a synthetic drug, according to the state Department of Corrections.

Several Stillwater prison staff members were taken to the hospital Thursday following an incident that put the facility into a lockdown, Minnesota Department of Corrections officials said. “Several staff were taken to the hospital out of an abundance of caution,

Nine Stillwater prison staff members were hospital after being exposed to prison officials believe is a synthetic controlled substance. FOX 9's Leon Purvis has the story.

The Stillwater Correctional Facility was placed on temporary lockdown Thursday after staff members were exposed to an unidentified substance. Minnesota Department of Corrections Director of Communications,