We are learning more about a biological lab in Reedley that's been shut down by the Fresno County Department of Public Health.
From October 2022 until spring 2023 this warehouse at 850 I Street in Reedley was operating a biological lab.
It was a well-kept secret. After seeing signs of activity there the City of Reedley asked the county department of public health to investigate.
"Just a significant amount of 36 refrigerator freezers located on site and there were a lot of biological agents. So there was a lot of contents of blood, serum, everything that a biological lab would normally have," said Joe Prado, Assistant Director for the Fresno County Public Health.
Las Vegas-based Prestige Biotech was doing the testing.
"They were utilizing laboratory mice to see whether or not the Covid test kits were actually testing for Covid.So that was the purpose for the laboratory mice on-site," Prado said.
County public health asked for help from state and federal agencies. Prado says it's not illegal to create a biological lab. The county went to its' legal toolbox to shut it down.
"We used the health office authority to actually issue the order for inspection, assess what's on-site, what are we really dealing with here. Once we completed that assessment we then moved toward an abatement warrant. That is actually signed by a judge," Prado said.
County public health destroyed all the biologicals in the warehouse. That project was finished on July 7th. Prado has never seen anything like this in his 27-year career.
"Here at the public health department we operate our own lab so were very well versed in the legal requirements and how to maintain and control an infectious agent. And there was just a complete absence of those controls in place at the warehouse," Prado said.
Signs posted at the warehouse read, unsafe to occupy. Reedley's city manager says it's their responsibility to make sure the building stays unoccupied. The city recently turned off electricity to the building.
County public health says the job in Reedley isn't over. There are still chemicals and medical devices on site that the City of Reedley will dispose of.