Kane County Moves Morgue To DuPage After Mold is Found

Written by Lorraine Swanson

The Kane County Morgue was forced to move out of its Geneva facility and temporarily relocate to DuPage County when black mold was discovered inside the freezer.

Kane County Coroner Rob Russell said he was closing the facility due to “protect his employees’ health,”The Associated Press reported.

Russell told Kane County judicial and public safety officials on Friday that Mechanical Inc. found the mold while replacing parts of the coroner building freezer, according to My Suburban Life.

An environmental scientist examined a sample of the mold found in the coroner freezer and suggested to the county coroner that the facility be closed.  

After notifying the Kane County State’s Attorney, Russell contacted DuPage County Coroner Richard Jorgensen about renting space at the DuPage coroner building, My Suburban Life reported. 

The partnership between the two county coroners’ offices was announced during Friday’s Judicial and Public Safety Committee meeting.

Russell said that technicians were fixing the freezer that broke down last November, causing two bodies to leak, when the mold was found. Kane County’s coroner building is located in a former garage, the Chicago Tribune reported.

He still isn’t sure if the black mold is actually black mold, which can be “toxic,” Russell told the paper.

Meanwhile, Kane County’s autopsy operations have been moved to DuPage, while the mold is being tested.

In a statement issued Friday by the Kane County Coroner’s Office, "there will be no impairment of service to the public. Families and funeral homes will be notified of the new temporary location,”reports said.

According to statistical information, the Kane County Coroner autopsies about 160 bodies annually.

Administrative offices for the Kane County Coroner will remain in Geneva.