Selby Family Poisoned By Mercury After Furnace Leaks

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Two adults and three children are awaiting lab results and will have to be on medication for at least six weeks after mercury was found inside this home.

By Dawn Crawley

Story Created: Mar 4, 2008 at 8:39 PM CST

Story Updated: Mar 6, 2008 at 2:19 PM CST

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Leah Friend was getting rid of her old furnace and mercury began to leak. She cleaned it up but a month later her family began to get sick.

Dante Friend plays with his toys most of which have been donated after his whole family got mercury poisoning.

"It's unbelievable. I'm still having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that within the blink of an eye we are all poisoned," said Leah.

Leah Friend was hauling an old furnace up the basement steps and mercury began to leak. She cleaned it up and thought nothing of it until disaster struck...her family started to get sick.

The Environmental Protection Agency spent days hauling out household items.

A dumpster is full of contaminated belongings, furniture, children's items. Leah Friend says that over half of her home is not in the dumpster after half a cup of mercury spilled, but Leah is grateful she has a home.

"There was a small chance they were going to have to demolish the whole house and it was a relief to find out they could clean it up to a point we could move back in," said Leah.

Neighbors are offering a helping a helping hand donating furniture and lending support.

"People have been so awesome to us in this community and this community is my home and we've just been so blessed," said Leah.

Leah's family had to move out of their home for about a week, but the EPA has said the home is now safe to live in and the family has moved back in.

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Friday, Mar 7 at 6:27 PM KATHY wrote ...

iTS HARD TO BELEIVE YOU WERE TOLD OF THIS STORY LAST WEEK AND IT TOOK OVER A WEEK TO HAVE IT ON YOUR NEWS. YOU WERE TOO INTERESTED IN A DRUG BUST IN SELBY WHEN YOU WERE TOLD IT WAS JUST A SEARCJ WARRANT BEING SERVED. AND AT THAT THIS WAS A VERY POOR STORY AS FAR AS WE ARE CONCERNED.

Thursday, Mar 6 at 11:15 AM Veronica wrote ...

Wow that's so scary! I also had no idea that furnaces had any mercury in them let alone that much! I've checked our furnace and there is nothing on it that says anything about mercury so it would be very nice to know brand names and such with mercury in them. Maybe KSFY should do a health story on this topic? I know I would find it quite interesting.

Wednesday, Mar 5 at 3:43 PM Anonymous wrote ...

Wednesday, Mar 5 at 3:01 PM K8 wrote ...

It was in Selby, SD

Wednesday, Mar 5 at 1:35 PM Dee wrote ...

Selby is located east of Mobridge and west of Aberdeen, I thought it was maybe Selby, IA. I didn't know there was a Selby, SD

Wednesday, Mar 5 at 9:22 AM Interested wrote ...

Sure would be nice to know what town this was in. Lots of incomplete information in this one.

Wednesday, Mar 5 at 6:53 AM Lois wrote ...

What kind of furnace is this-brand, model, year? We plan on having our furnace removed in the near future, so that information would be very helpful.

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 11:17 PM wildflower wrote ...

That is what I was wondering, too. That is all new to me. If there is that much mercury in some furnaces, where does it go when a house burns down? Into the ground and then our drinking water? So curious. And when a furnace is replaced, where does the mercury in an old furnace go? To the dump? Eventually into our environment and our water? Anybody out there know the answers? Hopefully KSFY investigates further.

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 10:20 PM pete wrote ...

How did all that Mercury get in a furnace,as far as I know there is not Mercury in furnace and I worked with with furnaces for 25 years. the only mercuy is in the thermostats and stack control of oil furnace and that only a very very small amount.

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