When the winter storm Jan. 24-25 blanketed Columbia with more than 5 inches of snow, students living in Searcy and Prunty residence halls on Columbia’s Stephens College campus were left cold after heating in the buildings failed.
By Monday night, Jan. 26, the boiler was seemingly repaired. But the next day, students started reporting odd symptoms, and eventually both dorms were evacuated because of a carbon monoxide leak.
While the faulty equipment has since been replaced, students told the Tribune that Stephens College needs to do more to address poor communication and what they said was an inadequate response leading up to and following the evacuation.
Sophia Frenna, a resident adviser at Searcy Hall, said no warnings or building alarms were triggered at Searcy Hall after the boiler was repaired, but the night of Tuesday, Jan. 27, a fourth-floor resident’s personal carbon monoxide alarm sounded.
“It was low battery and no building alarms were sounding, so they thought it was a mistake of some sort,” said Frenna, who was informed of the alarm.
She said she contacted her bosses but didn’t hear anything back. After her morning classes Wednesday, Jan. 28, she obtained a brand new carbon monoxide detector. The moment she turned it on in her first-floor room, she said, it sounded an alarm.
Frenna said she immediately called security. The person with whom she spoke wasn’t sure what to do so spoke to an adviser, she said, who also was unsure but placed a call to the college facilities team.
“I’ve had carbon monoxide poisoning before, so I assumed it was because of the heat. I turned my heat off, opened my window and grabbed my cat and evacuated the building. I was told they were going to let me know what was going on, but I never got an update,” Frenna said. Stephens College has some pet-friendly residence halls.
She returned to the dorm about 90 minutes later to find a note from facilities about changing the battery in a smoke detector.
About 5 p.m., Frenna turned her heat back on. When the carbon monoxide alarm sounded again, she circumvented Stephens College leadership and called 911.
Students and at least one parent said they appreciated the response that followed from college leaders, including President Shannon Lundeen and Lisa Brescia, interim dean of the Conservatory of the Performing Arts. But they said communication and the response by management of other departments, including security, facilities and even student experience, was lacking.
“The dean showed up when she found out things were happening. She went to the hospital to find students,” Frenna said. “She has truly been a savior, but people in charge of safety, security, student experience and facilities have been entirely unhelpful.”
About four hours after the 911 call was made and students in both Searcy and Prunty halls were displaced — both buildings are serviced by the same boiler — college officials started making arrangements to find students other housing at hotels or on campus. By that time, some students already had made arrangements with friends on their own.
Some students also made their own arrangements to seek medical care, either by walking to a hospital or carpooling. A news release from the Columbia Fire Department said some students had refused transport to hospitals after a medical evaluation onsite.
Students say carbon monoxide detectors were faulty or missing
Frenna and another student who lived in the affected residence halls said it appeared that, up until Thursday, Jan. 29, the buildings either did not have carbon monoxide detectors, or if they did, they were not in working order.
“There’s been no accountability at all,” said Frenna, who thinks an apology and more explanation are due. “This is something (the college) had to have known about. There is no way you can have an entire college campus without carbon monoxide detectors and not know about that. There is just no way that can happen, especially on such a small campus.”
Sarah Salmons, Stephens College’s associate vice president of marketing, said the boiler servicing the two residence halls was removed and replaced with new equipment between Jan. 29-30. Carbon monoxide monitoring equipment also was upgraded and installed by the facilities department and the assistant fire marshal with the Columbia Fire Department, she said.
“We also have trained our residential life staff and security officers on how to monitor sensors and what to do if they go off,” Salmons said in an interview Monday morning, Feb. 2. “We’ve upgraded our portable and commercial-grade carbon monoxide detection equipment and our facilities and security team have spent time training on it over the weekend and are using it to routinely check all campus.”
Students hope for faster campuswide alerts in future
Students continue to hope for better communication plans in the future. A mass notice about the carbon monoxide leak and response efforts was not sent to students until the late evening hours Jan. 28.
“There’s clearly a block somewhere in the middle,” said Addison Haag, who has a work study position in student experience and was working an event at Stamper Commons the evening of Jan. 28 as students started coming in from Searcy and Prunty halls seeking refuge after the evacuation.
Haag said she started making calls and sending messages to “as many group texts [as] I could get my hands on” to notify others.
“The fact that I had to be the one to coordinate — I am just a humble work study for student experience — and the fact that I was getting information faster and out to people than the school which has the ability to mass email or mass notify people was not OK,” Haag said.
Haag also is hopeful the episode will inspire resident life to start conducting drills related to carbon monoxide or fire more regularly.
The Tribune asked about this and Salmons said at this point the college has not yet discussed whether to increase the frequency of drills. She did share other mitigation and responsive work the college has done, both in the Tribune interview and in a news release.
Following the boiler replacement and inspection by the Columbia Fire Marshal, mechanical engineers and State of Missouri, the college was issued an occupancy permit late Saturday, Jan. 31. A notice was sent to students that they could return to the residence hall starting Feb. 2, she said.
“The college is preparing guidance for displaced students on how to submit receipts for expenses incurred during the temporary relocation. Stephens College has stated its intent to ensure students are not financially burdened as a result of the disruption,” a news release noted.
“Milligan University President Stephen Waers said carbon monoxide levels had returned to normal after the leak was stopped. ‘A mechanical contractor confirmed that the equipment in question was shut down properly, that the gas supply was cut off, and it will no longer be an issue,’ …Waers added that the fieldhouse’s carbon monoxide sensors did not activate as expected.”
“…police found 57-year-old Dr. Ashraf Hussein and a dog dead inside and the owner, 73-year-old Garo Alexanian, unconscious outside…longtime friend, Stephen LeBow said…he believes he and Hussein collapsed after being poisoned with carbon monoxide while finishing their last surgery on a dog late Saturday evening…’The neighbor and others were piling up the snow right next to the van and it had blocked the exhaust of the generator, and so the fumes were going back into the van…'”
“65-year-old Maurice Lewis and 71-year-old Barbara Lewis were found dead (in their home)…According to the coroner, there was a problem with the HVAC system…”
“Vanderbilt University Medical Center emergency rooms have treated dozens of patients for carbon monoxide poisoning over the past two days as residents use generators and gas stoves to stay warm during the historic ice storm.
In particular, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt has seen a surge in cases, with doctors particularly concerned about the number of children exposed to the toxic gas. The hospital confirmed to WSMV on Tuesday night that it has seen 46 patients for carbon monoxide exposure…
Hospital officials stress the importance of checking carbon monoxide alarms and ensuring exhaust pipes for heaters are not frozen shut…”
CARBON MONOXIDE INCIDENT SENDS 4 TO HOSPITAL: Four people were transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center on Thursday night after a reported carbon monoxide incident at an apartment complex on Music Row, according to Nashville Fire Department officials.
According to NFD Assistant Chief Jonathan Jordan, someone inside the Signature Music Row apartment building along the 1000 block of 16th Avenue South felt sick but went outside and felt better. A call was then made to emergency services.
NFD officials then cleared the building and began to check residents’ well-being, which resulted in four people being taken to VUMC and two people refusing to be taken to the hospital after about 50 people were checked. One person was found “semi-unconscious” after crews breached the apartment door, according to Jordan.
Carly died on Nov. 22, 2014, at the age of 16 along with her friend Daulton Pointek, 17, when a broken exhaust pipe allowed deadly CO gas to enter the car they were driving through the passenger air vents. Both were students at Octorara Area High School.
“Around 5:30am, the department was dispatched to the Hilton Hotel for an activated fire alarm. First arriving units had high readings of Carbon Monoxide throughout the hotel. The entire hotel needed to be evacuated and ventilated, so a 2nd alarm was requested, along with the Bergen County fan unit to assist. Coverage was also set up at the firehouse, as the operation was going to be prolonged. It was determined by PSE&G that the carbon monoxide was caused by a malfunctioning boiler in the basement. Companies operated on scene for approximately 3 hours. Thank you to all the mutual aid that assisted on scene as well as covered the firehouse.”
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 7, 2025) – Today, Gov. Beshear announced a new statewide initiative focused on carbon monoxide (CO) safety, including proactive inspections of aging buildings. These inspections will begin with schools, followed by daycares and senior living facilities.
“Everyone deserves a healthy environment to live, learn and work in,” said Gov. Beshear. “When a student walks into a school, they should be focused on learning, not the safety of their classroom. With aging infrastructure at many of our schools, we are taking proactive steps to keep students and teachers safe from the invisible threat of carbon monoxide.”
“In the winter months, increased usage of heating systems elevates carbon monoxide risk if systems are malfunctioning or not properly ventilated,” said Public Protection Cabinet Secretary Ray Perry. “These safety checks will help ensure systems are well-maintained and create more awareness of carbon monoxide dangers.”
Team Kentucky has partnered with local building personnel and the Department of Education to visit schools throughout the state and conduct a visual inspection of heating and ventilation systems. The inspections will check furnace rooms, HVAC systems, kitchen equipment and emergency monitoring devices to ensure systems and ventilation meet current safety standards.
Additionally, all Housing, Buildings and Construction (HBC) inspectors now carry carbon monoxide detection devices and all inspections conducted by HBC officials will include a visual check of mechanical rooms and a CO reading.
Carbon monoxide is responsible for hundreds of preventable injuries and fatalities each year nationwide. Symptoms of exposure can include headaches, dizziness, nausea, confusion and fainting. If you experience these symptoms, get to fresh air immediately. Prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide can result in death.
“The Building Code requires CO detectors in residential construction built after 2011. But you should have CO detectors installed no matter the age of your home or business,” said Housing, Buildings and Construction Commissioner Max Fuller.
Carbon Monoxide Safety TipsPublic Protection Cabinet officials encourage everyone to follow basic safety precautions year-round and to use the peak heating season as a reminder to check your fuel-burning systems.
Install carbon monoxide detectors on each level of a building and near sleeping areas.
Replace detector batteries twice a year; replace entire devices every 5–7 years.
Have HVAC systems, chimneys, and vents inspected annually by qualified technicians.
Never block ventilation openings or air returns.
Do not use ovens, stovetops or grills to heat indoor spaces.
Keep fuel-burning equipment (generators, space heaters) outdoors and at least 20 feet from buildings.
Know the symptoms of CO poisoning—headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizziness—and evacuate immediately if suspected.
For more information, carbon monoxide safety tips, or to report suspected carbon monoxide issues, visit the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction website at DHBC.ky.gov.
Pottawatomie County Emergency Medical Services (PCEMS) has rolled out new potentially life-saving safety equipment designed to protect both emergency responders and the patients they serve.
As part of this initiative, PCEMS crews will now carry continuous carbon monoxide (CO) detectors attached directly to the equipment they bring into calls for service. These personal monitoring devices provide real-time detection of carbon monoxide levels, alerting responders to the presence of this colorless, odorless, and potentially deadly gas.
“Carbon monoxide exposure is often referred to as a ‘silent killer,’” said PCEMS Assistant Director Troy Armstrong. “By equipping our crews with continuous CO monitoring, we are adding another layer of protection that enhances scene safety, improves situational awareness, and supports faster identification of hazardous environments.” “Our responders are frequently called into homes, businesses, and other enclosed spaces where the source of illness or injury is unclear,” Armstrong said. “Carbon monoxide exposure can present with vague symptoms that mimic other medical conditions. These monitors give our crews an immediate warning that something isn’t right—allowing us to protect ourselves, identify potential exposure earlier, and get patients out of harm’s way faster.”
The detectors will automatically alarm when elevated CO levels are detected, allowing crews to:
Identify unsafe environments quickly
Remove patients and responders from danger sooner
Initiate appropriate medical evaluation and treatment
Coordinate with fire and other public safety partners for mitigation
This proactive safety measure not only helps protect EMS personnel operating in unknown or potentially hazardous environments, but also improves patient outcomes by identifying carbon monoxide exposure that may otherwise go unnoticed.
Pottawatomie County EMS remains committed to continually evaluating and adopting tools, training, and practices that enhance responder safety and deliver high-quality emergency medical care to the communities it serves.
Ten people were inside the home on Saturday night when first responders were called to the home on the 200 block of Kingston Street.
Officials say a woman and two children were found unconscious inside the home and were rushed to the hospital, where they were successfully treated by medical personnel.
Firefighters say the carbon monoxide level inside the house was 1,400 parts per million…
“The civil complaint alleges the property did not contain smoke or carbon monoxide detectors that were ‘sufficient in number, sufficiently located, and/or functioning.’ The complaint said none of the people staying in the cabin were woken up by a fire or a smoke detector after the fire started.”
“Fourteen workers were there at the time, and officials found a CO reading of 300 parts per million…Four people were rushed to nearby emergency rooms with symptoms of CO poisoning…Fire officials said the suspected source of the carbon monoxide was a gas-powered pressure washer that was used in the building by a third-party cleaning company.”
“The CPSC’s 32-page report, compiled using data from Southeast Louisiana fire departments, calls for urgent action. It recommends that generators be placed a minimum of 25 feet from homes to prevent carbon monoxide from entering through windows or soffits. The report also includes images showing how improper placement allowed the gas—known as the “silent killer”—to enter homes.”
Jeannie Williams and her son, Jeffrey, a few weeks before one night in a hotel room changed their lives forever. She remembers Jeffrey taking a shower, putting his pajamas on, and crawling into the big bed just as she began to feel very sick. She went into the bathroom, turned the light and fan on, and closed the door. She remembers feeling dizzy, then collapsing to the floor… (photo courtesy of Jeannie Williams)
OCEAN CITY, Md. — Fourteen people were evaluated and four taken to the hospital after a carbon monoxide detector activated late Friday morning at the Ashore Resort and Beach Club, according to the Ocean City Fire Department.
According to the hotel, the cause of the carbon monoxide leak was determined to be a ventilation issue with the boiler. The hotel says the boiler has been shut down and repairs are being made.
“In order for this boiler to be turned back on, Town officials will require necessary repairs,” says Fire Marshal Joe Sexauer. “Followed by a third-party mechanical inspection and a gas company inspection to ensure the system is safe to operate.”
It was a scary scene for Lilly-Anne Eggers who was in the hotel at the time.
“The alarm started screaming and the voice activation was saying to evacuate emergency situation,” she tells CoastTV. “I have a bum knee that can’t walk. So I had to walk down ten flights of steps. I was crying because my grandchildren were on another floor and I didn’t know if everybody was out.”
The Fire Department says they were dispatched around 11 a.m. to the hotel at 10100 Coastal Highway. Ocean City firefighters say the building was evacuated and a total of 18 patients were evaluated by first responders. Ashore says four hotel employees were taken to the hospital with elevated levels of carbon monoxide in their blood, but they have since been released. The fire department says those four employees were in an office adjacent to the ground floor boiler room.
“…officials believe Maisy suddenly lost consciousness due to Carbon Monoxide Toxicity, causing her to fall out of the boat…’there are numerous documented incidents of boats moving at slow speeds for extended periods, allowing Carbon Monoxide to build up in and around a watercraft…’”
HYANNIS – Firefighters responded to the Fairfield Inn and Suites at 8:67 Iyannough Road (Route 132) just after 9:30 AM. Elevated levels of carbon monoxide (CO) were detected prompting the evacuation of the entire hotel. It was not immediately clear what the source of the CO was. No injuries were reported.
YEMASSEE, S.C. (WCSC) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture finalized a warning against a Yemassee-based research facility where 22 monkeys died back in November.
The deaths happened at Alpha Genesis, the same facility from which 43 rhesus macaque monkeys escaped in November of 2024.
The deaths were blamed on carbon monoxide exposure from a heating unit. The USDA’s warning sites a regulation on outdoor housing facilities for primates, which states “outdoor housing facilities for nonhuman primates must provide adequate shelter from the elements at all times. It must provide protection from the sun, rain, snow, wind, and cold, and from any weather conditions that may occur. The shelter must safely provide heat to the nonhuman primates to prevent the ambient temperature from falling below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, except as directed by the attending veterinarian and in accordance with generally accepted professional and husbandry practices.”
The warning, issued on July 2, states Alpha Genesis “failed to safely provide heat to nonhuman primates.”
A USDA inspection held on Dec. 9 reported that an Alpha Genesis employee conducting routine evening rounds on Nov. 22 found multiple monkeys “down” in a field cage.
“Ultimately, 22 animals died, with necropsy and histopathology findings consistent with exposure to carbon monoxide gas,” the warning states.
The warning also states that if the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service finds evidence of any future violation, it may pursue sanctions that could include criminal prosecution.
At the time of the inspection, Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard described the heating unit as one that might be used in someone’s garage and said it had been tested and retested and was in perfect working order.
“”At this point we’re just trying to understand what happened to come up with a logical explanation with how this occurred,” he said in December.
Two Deer Valley Resort employees are recovering after a carbon monoxide incident outside Snow Park Lodge. It stemmed from a nearby generator.
The Park City Fire District responded to a call from Deer Valley after a staff member collapsed outside the Snow Park Lodge around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 9.
According to a statement from Deer Valley, the fire district found elevated carbon monoxide levels at the outdoor parking area. The employee who collapsed and another staff member were taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
Both were home and recovering as of Thursday, July 10.
Deer Valley said the incident was tied to emergency generator use during a power outage. The resort said while it’s extremely rare, carbon monoxide can build up outdoors under certain conditions.
The fire district and the Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division inspected the generator and cleared the Snow Park area.
The two entities determined the elevated carbon monoxide levels were limited to the outdoor parking lot and did not impact the interior of the Snow Park building.
Deer Valley said it is evaluating the generator exhaust system and determining locations for additional carbon monoxide detectors.
JACKSONVILLE, Texas — A hotel in Jacksonville was evacuated due to a carbon monoxide leak.
The incident occurred at La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham on 1902 S. Jackson St. According to Jacksonville Fire Chief Paul Finley, their dispatch received multiple reports of people having trouble breathing and losing consciousness around 2:05 p.m.
While en route to the hotel, dispatch learned that the incident had occurred in the pool area. Upon arrival, Finley said their hand-held carbon monoxide detectors indicated high levels of carbon monoxide in the area.
Firefighters learned the pool’s heater system was turned on hours before the incident, indicating the carbon monoxide leak was caused by a faulty heater system in the hotel.
The hotel was evacuated, with high levels of carbon monoxide detected on the first and second floors of the building. Officers checked on each room. Finley said the hotel was not heavily inhabited at the time of the incident.
At least two people were taken to a local hospital — including a mother and her 2-year-old child, both of which were in the pool area and are now in stable condition but remain hospitalized, — with others showing minor symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Gas is shut off to the building until crews can inspect the building for a gas leak. La Quinta staff reportedly relocated guests who were evacuated to other residency arrangements at separate locations.
The hotel was ventilated soon after the incident and carbon monoxide levels began to drop, and the gas remains shut off until a licensed plumber is able to inspect the gas system, according to Finley.
“According to the fire department, crews were first dispatched to 1805 Oxford Circle around 4:51 a.m. for a report of an unconscious person. When firefighters arrived, they found multiple patients inside the apartments and escalated the response…crews had responded to the same address earlier in the morning, around 2 a.m., for a sick person. In that call, however, the patient met crews outside the apartment, and the department’s carbon monoxide monitor never had the opportunity to detect the dangerous levels inside.”
“Layton was a gift to this world…As you continue to think of Layton, we ask that you share his story far and wide. Remind your people – now and later – to never go behind a boat without a life jacket. Carbon monoxide can build up silently behind a running boat. High concentrations can occur quickly leading to loss of consciousness in less than 60 seconds. Let his story be the reason someone else lives.”
This weekend, we remember Maddie. Her family urges boaters to be aware of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning while open-air boating.
Traveling at slow speeds, or idling, can cause carbon monoxide to build up on your boat. The same applies to a tail wind, which may blow exhaust towards passengers.
On Memorial Day 2022, Maddie and her brother, along with a few close friends, headed out on the water. She was so excited, sharing the day with her mom on FaceTime as her brother and friends were tubing. Maddie took off her life jacket and decided to get in the water to cool down. She remained near the swim platform talking with others. She went under twice, and the third time, Maddie did not resurface. Later it was revealed that Maddie had passed away from drowning due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Her CO blood level was 54%.
The Taylor family urges boaters to be aware of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Traveling at slow speeds, or idling, can cause carbon monoxide to build up on the boat. The same applies to a tail wind, which may blow exhaust towards passengers. If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, seek immediate medical attention. Remember Maddie. Be aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning while boating.
“Ally’s father said they found 35% of carbon monoxide in her blood, and to this day, how she died is the biggest shock to her family.
‘Neither one of or any of our family or friends had ever heard of something like this happening. It was very shocking because she knew how to swim, that wasn’t the issue. It was that the carbon monoxide levels were so high that it knocked her unconscious and she couldn’t even attempt to swim…'”
“…at 10:51 a.m. Saturday, fire crews were called to 530 Richards Drive, the Double Tree by Hilton, for a report of an unknown hazmat situation. When crews arrived, they found elevated carbon monoxide levels inside the hotel…The cause of the carbon monoxide incident was determined to be the pool heater and inoperable exhaust fans for the heating system.”
Followup story on the generator related CO deaths of three adults on a boat in January:
“Heavy exposure to carbon monoxide can cause someone to pass out and die. People who are sleeping or intoxicated are at higher risk of being poisoned without experiencing symptoms…”
“A notice sent to families said carbon monoxide detectors went off in the high school’s back hallways behind the cafeteria, impacting multiple classrooms, prompting an immediate school evacuation.”
“Weakened by the gas, Tania said she managed to escape from the second floor. Her husband was still inside, but she was able to get into an elevator.
‘I couldn’t stand. I just reached up and pushed something in hopes that I could, like, get out,’ she said.
The Mesa police report said an officer found Tania, ‘…laying on the east side of the building. She was conscious but barely alert.’
Both families said they never heard a carbon monoxide alarm. ABC15 reviewed the police and fire reports and found nothing describing warnings from a carbon monoxide detector.”
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Honolulu Emergency Medical Services has issued a warning to the public after a man was treated for carbon monoxide poisoning at an Oahu grocery store.
The incident happened on Dec. 27 at the Safeway on Lumiaina Street in the Waikele area. Officials say when medics arrived on scene, the man was unresponsive and in need of advanced life support.
“Someone was using a gas powered pressure washer in an enclosed space causing the carbon monoxide to build up,” said Honolulu EMS paramedic supervisor Sunny Johnson.
Dubbed the silent killer, carbon monoxide is produced when fuels such as oil, charcoal, wood, propane or gasoline burn without proper ventilation. The result is a gas that you can’t see, smell or taste.
“So it kind of sneaks up on you,” Johnson said. “You can’t really tell when it’s happening.”
In high concentrations, experts say it can be fatal in a matter of minutes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, nationwide, more than 400 people die each year from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning, while another 14,000 are hospitalized.
Experts say the majority of those cases stem from appliances or machinery that aren’t properly ventilated or by leaving a vehicle engine running in an enclosed space.
On Friday, three adults and two children were rushed to an emergency room in Atlanta after what officials said was a “carbon monoxide leak” at a hotel.
While calls for carbon monoxide poisoning in Hawaii are rare, officials say it’s a significant health risk that’s under recognized.
“We suspect there’s quite a number of folks who have significant exposures and have symptoms but don’t recognize what it’s from,” said Steven Hankins.
Hankins is a provider at the University of Hawaii’s Hyperbaric Treatment Center. It’s the only one in the state that’s open to the public for emergencies 24 hours a day seven days a week.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, weakness, dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath and loss of consciousness.
As for treatment, Hankins says patients are often placed in the hyperbaric chamber for several hours.
“It is dissolving a high amount of oxygen into the bloodstream, which helps displace the carbon monoxide and provide oxygen to the tissues,” Hankins said.
Hankins told HNN Investigates he’s aware of several cases locally related to forklift operators after the machinery was used in an enclosed spaces like freezers and warehouses.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Coast Guard says carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the leading causes of death among boaters as the gas can accumulate in vessels with poor ventilation.
“So a good way to prevent it is to make sure when you are using generators, gas powered machines where it’s emitting exhaust to make sure it’s well ventilated. Make sure it’s in an open space,” Johnson said.
As for this most recent case, we’re told medics managed to revive the patient. He was taken to the hospital in serious condition.
HNN Investigates asked officials at Safeway if the person using the pressure washer was an employee, where the machine was being used and if the store was evacuated.
Spokesperson Wendy Gutshall responded, “We take this matter seriously. For privacy purposes, we cannot provide details about the incident.”
In the meantime, EMS wants the public to consider installing carbon monoxide detectors inside their homes, businesses and attached garages.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Officials said Julius West Middle School in Rockville was evacuated following a carbon monoxide leak on Monday.
In a post on the X platform, Pete Piringer with the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services said crews were called to the middle school on Great Falls Road around 11:30 a.m. for a carbon monoxide alarm.
Piringer said crews were monitoring the CO levels. The leak was possibly coming from the boiler room.
As of Monday afternoon, there were no reported injuries or illnesses.
Piringer said an early dismissal plan was being organized for students.
Carbon monoxide is a silent threat in our homes, posing serious dangers as it is odorless and colorless.
The U.S. Fire Administration reports that it claims over 150 lives annually.
In Washington State, 788 carbon monoxide incidents were reported last year, resulting in one death.
According to the Washington State Patrol website, the State Fire Marshal’s Office is providing tips to help protect the public from carbon monoxide.
They recommend installing detectors on every level of the home, especially near sleeping areas.
Their latest guidance emphasizes following manufacturer instructions for placement and conducting monthly tests and annual battery replacements.
The State Fire Marshal recommends using interconnected carbon monoxide alarms that trigger a household-wide alert if one detects danger.
This increases the chances of escape in an emergency. They also caution, “Never use generators inside homes, garages, or basements,” as per the Washington State Patrol website.
The Marshal’s Office stresses the importance of taking immediate action if a carbon monoxide detector alarms: exit the home right away and do not go back inside. Once safely outside, call 911 or the local fire department. If poisoning is suspected, seek medical attention immediately, as time is critical in these situations.
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A married couple has settled a lawsuit against their landlord in which both alleged they nearly died in their ground-level Glendale apartment after being exposed to extremely high levels of carbon monoxide in 2023 because their unit lacked carbon monoxide alarms.
Attorneys for Jason Michael Plummer and Veronica Eileen Urias filed court papers on Monday with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jon R. Takasugi notifying him that their suit against Vartges “Mark” Markarian was resolved. No terms were divulged.
“This case underscores the harm that results when landlords care more about money than tenant health and safety, and recklessly fail to comply with basic health and safety requirements applicable to the ownership and management of residential rental properties,” the suit filed in April 2023 stated.
The plaintiffs maintained they were exposed to chronic carbon monoxide leaks from a defective and/or inadequately maintained wall furnace and stove in their Glenoaks Boulevard apartment.
Plummber and Urias believe that during a rainy period in March 2023, an unqualified handyman hired by the landlord stripped the roof and covered it with plastic sheeting, covering the vent for the stove and wall furnace and leading to the dispersal of dangerous amounts of the odorless gas.
The apartment also lacked any carbon monoxide alarms so money could be saved and the building’s cash flow increased, the suit alleged.
In their court papers, Markarian’s attorneys denied liability on their client’s part and cited multiple defenses to the plaintiffs’ allegations, including that any damages the couple suffered were caused by “an idiosyncratic condition” for which Markarian could not have done anything to avoid.
BEDFORD, New Hampshire – New Hampshire State Fire Marshal Sean P. Toomey, Bedford Police Chief Daniel A. Douidi, and Bedford Fire Chief Scott Hunter announce that the victims of a fatal carbon monoxide incident at 99-2 Pulpit Road in Bedford, NH, on October 13, 2024, have been identified, and the NH Medical Examiner’s Office has released the cause of the deaths.
The NH Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the victims as 78-year-old David P. Moore Jr. and 79-year-old Janice G. Moore of Bedford. The cause of death has been ruled as accidental.
The cause of the carbon monoxide release is currently under investigation by the NH State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Bedford Police Department. It has been determined that carbon monoxide alarms were located within the residence; however, they were not functional.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the NH State Fire Marshal’s Office at (603) 223-4289 or fmo@dos.nh.gov.
State Fire Marshal Toomey urges all New Hampshire residents to prioritize their safety by regularly testing their carbon monoxide alarms. It’s crucial to ensure these life-saving devices are in working condition, so please test them monthly and replace the batteries during daylight savings time. Remember, if your alarm starts chirping, it’s a sign the battery is dying.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas known as the silent killer. Signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include headache, weakness, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, shortness of breath, confusion, blurred vision, or loss of consciousness. If you experience any of these symptoms or if your carbon monoxide alarm goes off, exit your home, get to fresh air, and call 9-1-1 immediately so the local fire department can investigate the cause of the alarm.
No further information will be released at this time.
The college and state Attorney General’s Office confirmed the settlement payout to KING 5.
On December 11, 2023, Rodriguez, 21, and two other students were found unconscious in a modular housing unit. Rodriguez died, while the other two students survived.
A campus police officer was also sent the hospital and survived.
Investigators blamed faulty installation of a tankless water heater in the housing a week before the poisonings. They also said that despite alarms repeatedly going off, campus maintenance crews failed to recognize there was a carbon monoxide leak.
One of the students hospitalized due to the leak – Rodriguez’ girlfriend – told investigators that maintenance crews had told her it was OK to return to her unit despite the sounding of a carbon monoxide alarm. Within hours Rodriguez was dead and his girlfriend and roommate were hospitalized.
According to Thurston County prosecutors, Frank McCutcheon, 53, and his son Brett McCutcheon, 32, did not properly follow instructions when installing the unit by failing to properly connect exhaust pipes, allowing for the leak of the colorless, odorless, deadly carbon monoxide.
They were charged July 11 with manslaughter in the second degree, with prosecutors alleging that their negligent actions caused Rodriguez’ death. An investigator said their actions were a “gross deviation” from what reasonable people would have done.
The McCutcheons entered not guilty pleas to the charge and face a trial in November.
The college has made several changes since the incident.
“Since the tragedy in December, Evergreen immediately stopped using housing units that used propane for heat or hot water, ensuring a tragedy like that which took the life of Jonathan Rodriguez never happens again,” Dr. John Carmichael, president of The Evergreen State College, said in a previous statement.
New housing units will also open for students when school resumes Sept. 30.
KING 5 reached out to Rodriguez’ family for comment and their attorney said they are grieving the loss of their son and are asking for privacy.
Two service technicians who installed the tankless water heater — Frank “Chuck” McCutcheon, then 53, and his son, Brett McCutcheon, then 32 — pleaded not guilty to second-degree manslaughter charges after Thurston County prosecutors accused them in September of negligently causing Rodriguez’s death by improperly installing the appliance.
Frank McCutcheon’s defense attorney, Eric Pilon, said the Dec. 4 installation was done properly, but something happened during the week after causing the heater’s interior pipe fitting to get pulled out or separation from the exterior exhaust pipe.
The father and son are scheduled to go to trial in November, Thurston County Superior Court records show.
Emergency crews responded to the Northfield Retirement Community Parkview West Building early on Friday morning concerning high carbon monoxide levels. Parkview West is an independent living facility.
According to a press release from the City of Northfield, The Northfield Police Department, Northfield Area Fire & Rescue Service, Emergency Medical Services from Northfield Hospital and Clinics, and Rice County Emergency Management responded to the scene. Fire crews determined high levels of carbon monoxide in the building. First responders working with NRC staff were able to evacuate all the residents of the building.
Fire crews monitored CO levels in hallways and individual residences while checking each living unit for residents. EMS crews evaluated 50 residents and treated one for asthma-related symptoms. No residents were transported to the hospital. Fire crews ventilated the building and re-tested air quality several times for over 2 hours before residents were allowed back into the building once CO levels were gone.
An investigation by Northfield Police into the cause of the CO revealed a resident had moved their car inside a garage in the building Thursday night to avoid hail damage with the storms that rolled through the area. The car equipped with push button ignition, was inadvertently left running at that time and ran overnight in the closed garage. As a result, CO entered the hallway areas of the building.
The staff of the Northfield Retirement Community were thanked for being “extremely helpful in caring for residents during the evacuation period.” The NRC is working with Fire Chief & Fire Code Official Tom Nelson on a plan for installing the required CO detection in the building. A temporary solution was installed by the end of the day Friday.
A hotel in North Laredo was evacuated on Monday morning, September 16, after the carbon monoxide alarm was triggered. The Comfort Suites on Metro Court began the evacuation around 9 a.m.
According to the Laredo Fire Department, staff reported that the carbon monoxide alarm was activated. The building was evacuated, and there are no reports of injuries at this time. The fire department is currently investigating the situation.
Witnesses said several people fainted, and one was taken away on a gurney. Witnesses also said the hotel had limited staff and was quickly moving guests out of the building.
Authorities are still on the scene, and the investigation is ongoing.
LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) – The Amerik Suites Hotel on Calle del Norte and Metro Court has been evacuated following a carbon monoxide hazmat situation, according to the Laredo Police Department.
The alert came at around 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday. First responders are on the scene assessing the extent of the carbon monoxide exposure.
Guests and workers report limited information, noting only that there’s a gas leak. Firefighters are on the scene and will be working for some time, according to those at the scene. First responders were seen removing belongings from their units as they work to handle the situation.
Further updates will be provided as the situation develops.
Three hospitalized after hazmat situation at local hotel
Sep 12, 2024
Three people were taken to the hospital following a hazmat situation at a local hotel, according to the Laredo Fire Department.
Crews responded to the incident at about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Comfort Suites on 6551 Metro Court.
Initially this was reported as a medical call. Crews later upgraded the call to a hazmat incident.
First responders evacuated 13 rooms and eight employees. The three people taken to the Laredo Medical Center were in stable condition.
First responders said that the lobby area, elevator area, riser/boiler mechanical room, and upper floors all had high levels of carbon monoxide and natural gas.
Crews shut off the gas service to the property. Fire department suppression crews remained on scene to ventilate the building until gas levels were safe, according to reports.
“Despite the absence of legal requirements, the Broward School Board held a special meeting Tuesday to address the issue, during which they unanimously passed a measure to procure carbon monoxide detectors for all district schools.
A carbon monoxide leak at Cypress Bay High School in Weston hospitalized four staff members and a first responder, leading to an early dismissal of students and staff on Aug. 23.
A few days later, a propane leak at Oriole Elementary School in Lauderdale Lakes sent another person to the hospital and prompted a school-wide evacuation.”
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Prosecutors have criminally charged a second contractor following the carbon monoxide poisoning death of a 21-year-old student from The Evergreen State College.
On December 11, 2023, Jonathan Rodriguez and two other students were found unconscious in a modular housing unit.
Rodriguez died, while the other two students survived. A campus police officer was also sent the hospital, but survived.
Investigators blamed the faulty installation of a tankless water heater in the housing a week before the poisonings.
According to Thurston County Prosecutors, Frank McCutcheon, 53, and his son Brett McCutcheon, 32, did not properly follow the manual instructions when installing the unit by failing to properly connect exhaust pipes, allowing for the leak of the colorless, odorless, deadly carbon monoxide.
They were both charged July 11 with manslaughter in the second degree, alleging that their negligent actions caused Rodriguez’s death. An investigator said their actions were a “gross deviation” from what reasonable people would have done.
Both McCutcheons entered not guilty pleas to the charge and face a trial in November.
They were not taken into custody, but they cannot speak about the incident to each other, and they have to refrain from installing any devices that generate carbon monoxide.
The college has made several changes since the incident.
“Since the tragedy in December, Evergreen immediately stopped using housing units that used propane for heat or hot water, ensuring a tragedy like that which took the life of Jonathan Rodriguez never happens again,” said Dr. John Carmichael, president of The Evergreen State College.
New housing units will also open for students when school resumes Sept. 30.
Climate change is making extreme weather events like wildfires, floods and hurricanes more frequent and severe. Scientists now say that carbon monoxide poisonings are on the rise amid widespread power outages following those events. ProPublica’s Lexi Churchill joins Ali Rogin to discuss her recent reporting on this issue.
“Portable generators actually lead to about 70 deaths a year from CO poisoning, which makes portable generators one of the most dangerous devices that consumers can buy on the market.”
“The Evergreen (State College) tragedy has striking similarities to the deaths of Murray Church and Gail Amundsen, who died of CO poisoning in their Point Roberts home on Thanksgiving 2021. Their deaths were also due to the improper installation of a gas appliance; in their case, a condensing boiler installed in their newly constructed home…no CO detectors had been installed by the electrical contractor…despite the fact that CO detectors have been required in new and remodeled residences since 2011.”
“Florida law requires buildings constructed after July 1, 2008, to have at least one approved carbon monoxide alarm.
However, (Superintendent) Hepburn told Local 10 News that there are currently no codes or laws mandating these detectors in Broward schools.
‘We’re going to go above and beyond to make sure we have that extra layer of safety in our facilities so we can detect those gases sooner rather than later,’ he added.”
LAKE LURE, N.C. (WLOS) — A group of friends and family had gathered at Lake Lure for what was supposed to be a fun summer getaway to celebrate three birthdays, including Emilie Holochak’s.
But, Holochak said their retreat quickly turned into a life-or-death situation in the middle of the night when they uncovered carbon monoxide in their rental home. Holochak said she and her family met up with their friends Friday morning before it all unfolded.
“This was a group of my friends that are from Raleigh, we all met at Lake Lure… We met on Friday morning, just having a good time, rented a boat, we had golf carts, the whole thing, it was wonderful, cooked, had a great time,” she explained.
The enjoyment of fun quickly took a sour turn.
“It was Saturday at about 2 a.m.,” she said. “Everybody is sleeping and as I mentioned, everybody had sound machines in these bedrooms to drown out noise and help kids sleep – two children in each bedroom and adults. My husband and I and daughter were sleeping in a loft. The door was open, so when the carbon monoxide detector went off at around 2:30 in the morning, we immediately heard it.”
She said she went to check it out and unplugged it and plugged it back in, and it kept going off.
“I woke up a friend, and we decided [to] call 911. They got us connected with the fire department, they sent the fire department and they got there in about 20 minutes,” she said.
After clearing the area, the Lake Lure Fire Department was able to find where the source was coming from.
The dangerous fumes were pouring from the garage, just one room away from where a two-year-old boy was sleeping.
“What we didn’t know is that there’s a huge closet in that room, where one of the two-year-olds was sleeping and we weren’t able to test the levels in that room. We cleared out very quickly but the fireman found the source in the garage. We have four golf carts plugged in. It was the charging station being plugged in; it was emitting all of this carbon monoxide,” she said.
Lake Lure’s Assistant Fire Chief Chris Melton says that situations like this should never be taken lightly, as carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas and it can be fatal without warning.
“When we get a phone call like that, we take it very seriously because of how dangerous carbon monoxide is,” he said.
WESTON, FLA. (WSVN) – – Five people were transported to the hospital after a hazmat incident happened at a high school in Weston.
Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue and several other fire departments arrived at Cypress Bay High School, located at 18600 Vista Park Blvd, Friday morning.
7Skyforce hovered over the scene, where crews with masks entered the building and assisted people outside.
Once crews were inside the school, they detected high levels of carbon monoxide coming from the cafeteria.
According to officials, several school workers in the cafeteria reported that they were feeling lightheaded and nauseous. They are expected to be OK after receiving treatment.
“Once again they were consistent with carbon monoxide exposure: weakness, dizziness, headache,” said BSFR Chief Michael Kane.
Four cafeteria workers and one firefighter who responded to the school were treated at the scene and transported to the Cleveland Clinic with minor symptoms.
No students were affected by the incident.
“Firefighters made contact, they were able to determine there was a carbon dioxide leak occurring inside the cafeteria in the school. There were no students inside the cafeteria at the time,” said Kane. “Hazardous materials teams were requesting to respond, and they did. They determined that there was carbon monoxide leak occurring in or near the cafeteria. In an abundance of caution, the entire network of gas piping to the school was shut off.”
The cafeteria was evacuated, and all gas to the building was shut off.
Students were dismissed at noon.
“This was my concern. Now I can’t – now I’m calling him, and he doesn’t answer,” said a parent. “Hopefully they’re OK.”
Although students weren’t harmed due to the gas leak, some told 7News they could smell the gas.
“I walked in there like my eyes start tearing up like the gas leak was everywhere. I couldn’t see anything,” said a student.
“I was in my classroom, and I smelled gas through the air vents,” said Nicolas Karageorgos, a student.
We were all panicking in class figuring out how we gonna leave,” said another student.
“I was scared ’cause that’s, like, a really serious thing, and when I heard people were sent to the hospital, it was stressing me out,” said Isabella Santa Cruz. “I’m glad they worked it out and everything is good.”
As far as leaving school early on a Friday, we heard no complaints.
“Did you feel anything,” said 7news reporter Brandon Beyer.
“Only joy, got to leave school early because I had a quiz in my last period, and I got to skip it today,” said a student.
Students were sent home while crews ventilated the building.
“So we can assess, fix and also test over the weekend, so we can be back to normal operations on Monday,” said Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Howard Hepburn. “Just to make sure we find, pinpoint where this leak is. So out of an abundance of caution, we want to make sure everybody is off campus.”
“In total, five people were treated at the scene — including four school employees and one firefighter…Further investigation revealed that there were elevated levels of carbon monoxide in the school’s cafeteria…the hazardous materials teams secured the propane gas system that supplies the school.”
In South Fort Worth, neighbors in the Rosemont and Shaw Clarke neighborhoods said they are concerned about their health after a BNSF train idled for hours near W Biddison Street and Ryan Avenue, pumping out fumes.
Living along railroad tracks comes with its own set of unique hurdles, including noise and traffic delays. Residents said that their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors went off Tuesday after a train stopped Monday evening and didn’t move for hours.
In an email to NBC 5, a BNSF spokesperson said, “Most of our locomotives have automatic start/stop devices to prevent unnecessary idling. Unfortunately, that device is not functioning as intended on the locomotive in question. We are working to call a crew for that train and remove it.”
The train was allegedly moved on Tuesday afternoon.
“We also contacted the responding fire station for this neighborhood and confirmed there was no threat to the public,” BNSF said.
The Fort Worth Fire Department confirmed they responded to one call this week. While no hospitalizations were required, longtime residents like Theresa Alvarado said another train was idling nearby by Wednesday night.
“It’s something usual, but lately, I’m tired of it because it has been making me sick,” Alvarado said. “And I told my doctor I can’t breathe.”
According to BNSF, “For safety reasons, the locomotive is kept running to keep the air brake system charged. There are a few exceptions to this, such as if the temperature drops to the low 30s or if there is a crew member inside the locomotive. Trains will stop along our right of way as they are moving toward their final destination.”
When asked if it is normal for BNSF trains to idle for so long, a spokesperson for the railway company said, “It is perfectly normal. People have a misconception that trains only stop in a railyard. That is not the case.”
The company went on to explain trains are staged in this area for numerous reasons including service interruptions or congestions.
Alvarado and some of her neighbors said low rent keeps them in the neighborhood, but they don’t like what’s coming from the idling trains.
“It is a good neighborhood but, like I said, there is people other than me that don’t like the smoke. But they’re scared to say something because they’re scared they’re going to get reported,” Alvarado said. “It scares me. Sometimes it’s a week.”
And in the coming days, neighbors will see more BNSF workers and equipment in the area as the company starts a multi-week standard maintenance project.
“The project will ensure the reliability of our track structure. We appreciate the community’s patience during this time,” a spokesperson for BNSF said.
The Building Codes Division protects Oregonians every day by providing permits and inspection services for the installation, alteration, repair, and operation of boilers and pressure vessels throughout the state. Learn about the Boiler Safety Program with Chief Boiler Inspector Tom Clark at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS4s_uAlzyI.
“It would be the first time in nearly 50 years that Colorado would not be under federal oversight for carbon monoxide emissions that largely were caused by heavy rush hour traffic and cars made without catalytic converters…”
A woman and five other people became sick after being overcome by carbon monoxide fumes on August 7, 2024. The woman was transferred to another hospital where she later died.
*** PRESS RELEASE August 14, 2024 ***
On August 7, 2024, at 2:51 AM, Deputies with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office in Vineyard, along with Officers from Orem Police Department, responded to a report of people who had “inhaled” gas from a vehicle at a residence in Vineyard.
When Deputies arrived they found a car in a garage and the garage door was by then open. Deputies saw a man lying on the floor who was not conscious. When a Deputy entered the garage he noticed the strong odor of vehicle exhaust and was unable to remain in the garage. With another Deputy he re-entered the garage and they removed the man from the garage and began to render aid to him. The man was breathing but was still not conscious. This man was taken by ambulance to Utah Valley Hospital in Provo.
During this time they noticed a woman’s legs were sticking out of the passenger side door in the back seat of the car. The Deputies carried this woman outside and they noticed she was not conscious or breathing and had no pulse. The Deputies began administering CPR, which was taken over by Orem Fire Department Paramedics when they arrived. This woman was taken by ambulance to Timpanogos Hospital in Orem. She was later transferred by medical helicopter to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray in critical condition. This woman was on life support and later died on August 11, 2024 at 3:45 PM. Her name is Angelica Maria Avila Almanza, age 24, and she lived in Vineyard.
Inside the home were a 27 year old woman and three young children ages 4 years, 2 years, and 9 months. These four were also taken to area hospitals where they were treated and released.
Investigators believe Avila Almanza and the man were in the garage and may have been running the car motor so they could use the air conditioning. The walk through door into the home from the garage, and the roll up garage door were closed during this time and there was no carbon monoxide sensor in the garage. There were, however, carbon monoxide sensors inside the apartment which eventually activated. Four other occupants of the apartment were wakened by that alarm and left the apartment and called 911. Those four were evaluated at the scene and released.
For questions contact Sergeant Spencer Cannon, Public Information Officer, Utah County Sheriff’s Office.
“Upon our arrival, we found high levels of carbon monoxide on the first floor. After investigating the source of the carbon monoxide, crews found the generators powering the building were ventilated towards the interior of the building…”
Part of the overall mission and responsibilities of the Easthampton Fire Department is to conduct inspections on numerous occupancies and businesses throughout the community. The purpose of these inspections is to ensure they comply with all of the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth in order to provide the highest level of protection and safety to all occupants and patrons. These inspections also help to protect the financial investment of the owners.
Yesterday during one of the food truck inspections, our inspectors found a water heater that was installed improperly (based on manufacturer’s recommendations) and venting all of the exhaust back into the trailer (see picture). This was a new food truck and could have posed a serious health hazard to the workers by having a build up of carbon monoxide inside of this unit.
The new owner of this food truck was extremely gracious and appreciative and immediately began the process of taking corrective actions for this finding.
It is examples like this that reinforce the value and purpose of these inspections and how these actions can continually have a positive impact on the life safety of the occupants and all of the patrons that use these public facilities.
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Two contractors have been charged after being accused of negligently causing the death of an Evergreen State College student who died from carbon monoxide poisoning in December of 2023.
Jonathan Rodriguez, 21, was found unconscious in student housing on the evening of Dec. 11 and was later declared dead from carbon monoxide poisoning. Two other students were also found unconscious inside the building, were treated for carbon monoxide poisoning and later recovered.
Investigators with the Washington State Patrol pointed to a poorly installed tankless water heater as the cause of a carbon monoxide leak in the building.
A forensic engineering expert found that the boiler had been installed without a proper source of “outside combustion air” for the unit, leading to a higher-than-normal carbon monoxide concentration. In addition, the exhaust piping was not sealed, allowing highly contaminated exhaust air to spill into the utility room.
Frank, 53, and Brett McCutcheon, 32, were the technicians who installed the water heater in early December. They were both charged July 11 with manslaughter in the second degree, alleging that their negligent actions caused Rodriguez’s death.
Frank McCutcheon had a court appearance Aug. 6.
When the water heater was in operation, carbon monoxide levels rose to as high as 1,294 parts per million in the residential area of the building. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration set the permissible exposure limit for carbon monoxide as 50 parts per million over eight hours.
The forensic engineer concluded that the McCutcheons’ installation of the water heater was “negligent” and “outside the accepted practice” in the HVAC field.
“That deficient installation caused the death of Jonathan Rodriguez by introducing into the residence levels of carbon monoxide over 20 times the acceptable limit,” court documents read.
“Her family had routinely used the generator when the power was out, including during the 2021 freeze, which resulted in the worst carbon monoxide poisoning event in recent history. They always kept the device at a safe distance to prevent the colorless, odorless gas from seeping inside. On July 11, however, they moved it a few feet closer to their home in Cleveland, Texas, placing it under the porch in anticipation of rain from the hurricane.”
“North Carolina lawmakers directed the State Board of Education in 2023 to survey public schools across the state to determine the status and cost of adding carbon monoxide alarms to and conducting radon gas testing in existing school buildings.
On Thursday, the Board voted to approve the report, which among other things, shows that the majority of classrooms in existing school buildings do not contain carbon monoxide alarms or radon gas systems.”
Rangers Respond to Carbon Monoxide Incident on Houseboat in Face Canyon
On July 17, 2024, at approximately 12:45 a.m., the National Park Service (NPS) Glen Canyon Regional Communications Center received a call from Kane County Dispatch of a possible carbon monoxide poisoning incident on a privately owned vessel in Face Canyon. Face Canyon is located near buoy 24 on Lake Powell within Glen Canyon National Recreation area and encompasses both the state of Arizona and Utah. This incident happened on the Arizona side of the canyon within Coconino County.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Rangers responded immediately and provided medical support on scene. Initial reports were of 4 patients suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning onboard a houseboat. Upon arrival, a total of twenty-one patients were identified. Also assisting on scene were personnel from Classic Air Medical, who dispatched 3 medical helicopters and Intermountain Life Flight, who dispatched 2 medical helicopters. A total of 5 patients (3 adults and 2 juveniles) were flown to the St. George Regional Hospital for further treatment. The remaining sixteen patients were treated and released on scene.
The source of the carbon monoxide is currently under investigation by the National Park Service and Coconino County Sheriff’s Office. This is the third carbon monoxide-related incident responded to by Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Rangers this month.
All boaters should be aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) and ensure on-board CO detectors are operable prior to embarking on your trip. Carbon Monoxide is an odorless, tasteless gas that can cause death when inhaled. Symptoms of exposure can include headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and confusion. A person who is sleeping can die from CO poisoning before recognizing symptoms. Boats can collect dangerous levels of CO anytime fuel-burning, engines or appliances are running. More safety information is available at go.nps.gov/GLCAsafe
“…carbon monoxide monitors that were installed Tuesday night sounded an alert at 8 a.m. on Wednesday… a day after one of the kitchen’s eight kettles was discovered to be leaking odorless and colorless gas. Atlanta Fire reports that a second kettle was discovered to be leaking carbon monoxide and a stovetop’s supply line was leaking natural gas on Wednesday morning…”
Incidents involving carbon monoxide are increasing, and we aim to ensure the safety of the community by sharing insights from our dispatch centers in unincorporated Harris County.
The current number does not fully represent the actual impact of carbon monoxide incidents being addressed.
Keep your family and neighbors safe by taking necessary precautions to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – A pair of Wasilla women were found unresponsive inside a home on Saturday afternoon from what officials say is “likely” carbon monoxide poisoning.
According to Alaska State Troopers, authorities went to the Williwaw Subdivision in Wasilla early Saturday afternoon on a report of two deaths inside a home.
The report was received at 1:12 p.m.; Wasilla Police Department, Central Mat-Su EMS and Fire and troopers responded.
After lifesaving efforts were made on Desiree Michaud, 19, and Rosa Schlosser, 21, both women were declared dead, according to troopers.
The women were home while a generator was running inside a crawlspace, “likely dying from carbon monoxide poisoning,” troopers said.
Troopers say no foul play is suspected but the investigation into the deaths is not yet complete.
The women’s bodies were taken to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric announced today 22 awardees of a grant program aimed at preventing carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. The state and local governments were selected by CPSC, from a group of 31 applicants. CPSC will provide more than $3 million in federal Carbon Monoxide Poisoning PreventionGrant Program (COPPGP) funds that will be matched by $1 million in recipient funds. This will fund state and local government efforts to reduce deaths and injuries from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning PreventionGrant Program Awards
Awardee
State
Award Amount
Alaska Department of Public Safety
Alaska
$100,000.00
City of Huntington Beach
California
$53,400.00
City & County of Denver
Colorado
$82,500.00
Government of District of Columbia
District of Columbia
$130,000.00
State of Georgia Department of Public Health
Georgia
$178,577.93
City of Aurora
Illinois
$51,000.00
Louisiana State Fire Marshal
Louisiana
$37,500.00
Maryland Department of State Police
Maryland
$200,000.00
City of Boston
Massachusetts
$260,031.75
City of Pontiac
Michigan
$300,000.00
Minnesota Department of Public Safety
Minnesota
$200,000.00
New Hampshire Department of Safety
New Hampshire
$90,772.50
City of Jamestown
New York
$176,297.23
City of Syracuse
New York
$50,000.00
County of Rockland
New York
$100,000.00
Gates Fire District
New York
$50,000.00
City of Akron
Ohio
$76,460.00
City of Portland
Oregon
$320,000.00
City of Sevierville
Tennessee
$41,250.00
Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance
Tennessee
$300,000.00
Vermont Department of Public Safety
Vermont
$50,772.01
Central Pierce Fire & Rescue
Washington
$187,500.00
CPSC’s grant program is authorized through the Nicholas and Zachary Burt Memorial Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2022 to provide eligible state, local, and tribal governments with grants to purchase and install CO alarms in residential homes and dwelling units of low-income families or elderly people and facilities that serve children or the elderly, including childcare centers, public schools and senior centers, and to develop training and public education programs with the goal of preventing CO poisoning. This legislation was sponsored by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) and Sen. John Hoeven (R-North Dakota) in the Senate, and Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Georgia) and Rep. Annie Kuster (D-New Hampshire) in the House. President Joe Biden signed the bill into law on March 15, 2022.
“Following the deaths of two boys from carbon monoxide poisoning in their home, Congress enacted this grant program to prevent future tragedies. I am pleased that we are moving forward with these 22 grants to states and localities that will enable them to educate their residents and prevent CO poisoning in their communities,” said CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric.
Grantees will have two years to use the funding to purchase and install CO alarms and complete training and education efforts.
The burning of fuels produces CO, which is a colorless, odorless gas. Exposure to unhealthy levels of CO can lead to CO poisoning, a serious health condition that could result in death. Unintentional CO poisoning from motor vehicles and fuel-burning appliances, such as furnaces, water heaters, portable generators, and stoves, annually kill more than 400 individuals. CO alarms save lives and should be installed on every level and outside sleeping areas in residences.
Response at 0600 to 18 4th Street for a CO Alarm. Companies found elevated readings of Carbon Monoxide in the residence. The source was found to be 2 batteries powering a sump pump that had failed and began to offgas . Bergen County HAZMAT responded to neutralize the batteries. The home was ventilated and the residents refused medical attention. All companies were back in quarters at 1000.
Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. Each home should have a detector on every level of the home, particularly outside of sleeping areas.
The 61-year-old driver of this rig died on June 1, 2023, after suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, according to Washington state officials, who say the gas game from a cook stove…
FACE investigators concluded that, to help prevent similar occurrences, employers should:
Install battery-powered CO detector alarms in truck cabs and sleeper berths.
Use only detectors made for vehicles.
Always follow the detector manufacturer’s installation, maintenance and safety instructions.
Develop and enforce clearly written accident prevention program policies for CO poisoning prevention.
Darrell Miller told Eyewitness News he was on a weekend getaway and staying at the hotel, but things took a turn early Sunday morning. Miller said he happened to wake up around 2 a.m. and after he went outside to the parking lot to see if his grandkids were back from fishing he came back inside to find people on the floor.
“When I come back in, there were people laying in the floor, puking and having trouble breathing,” he recalled. “No fire alarm went off. No carbon monoxide detectors went off, and I had to go literally door to door and beat on doors to get people out of there.”
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. (WDTV) – UPDATE: The West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office has released more information about a carbon monoxide leak that occurred at a Braxton County hotel Sunday.
Officials said Braxton County 911 received a call at approximately 2:35 a.m. from two adult female occupants of the hotel who said they did not feel well. The women were complaining of weakness, nausea and numbness in their extremities, had no knowledge of ingesting anything and knew no reason as to why they would both be sick.
EMS responded to the scene, found other individuals in the hotel who also did not feel well and called the fire department. When fire officials arrived on scene, they found elevated carbon monoxide levels within the structure, immediately turned off the natural gas service to the building, contacted the local gas utility and ventilated the building.
Seven patients were transported by EMS to a local hospital, and several individuals drove themselves to be evaluated, as well.
Later that morning, a member of the State Fire Marshal’s Office visited the hotel, conducted a fire safety inspection and issued a report. No carbon monoxide detection of any kind was found during that inspection, officials said.
The hotel installed temporary carbon monoxide detectors and ordered permanent units to attach to their current fire alarm system, officials said, as state law requires that hotels have them.
John Hoffman, the Director of Braxton County Emergency Management, says that 60 people were staying at the Microtel Inn near Gassaway at the time and that seven of them were taken to the hospital.
Hoffman believes out of the seven, only one is still in the hospital.
He says his team did find carbon monoxide in the building. They are still checking where it came from.
Braxton County dispatchers say the call came in around 2 a.m. Sunday morning.
The West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office was also contacted during this incident.
Crews with the Gassaway and Sutton Fire Departments responded to the scene.
BRAXTON COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS) — A Braxton County hotel where multiple people were hospitalized due to carbon monoxide exposure did not have detectors installed prior to the incident, state fire officials said.
Emergency officials were called to the Microtel Inn at 115 Reston Place near Gassaway about 2:35 a.m. Sunday after two occupants said they did not feel well and were complaining of weakness, nausea and numbness in their extremities, a news release from the West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office said.
The individuals stated they had no knowledge of ingesting anything and had no known reason as to why both would be sick.
Once on scene, EMS crews began finding more people at the hotel who did not feel well. A total of seven people were taken to local hospitals for treatment and several others drove themselves, according to the news release.
While evaluating the scene, officials said they found elevated carbon monoxide levels within the hotel and natural gas service was immediately turned off.
During an inspection by the fire marshal’s office, investigators conducted a fire safety inspection where they said “no carbon monoxide detection of any kind” was found, according to the news release.
Investigators said the hotel had installed temporary carbon monoxide detectors by the afternoon hours and had ordered permanent detectors that could be attached to its fire alarm system that have since been installed.
The gas-fired water heaters were serviced the same day by a licensed contractor and placed back in service.
West Virginia state code requires carbon monoxide detectors in apartment buildings, boarding houses, dormitories, hospitals, long-term care facilities, adult or childcare facilities, assisted living facilities, one- and two-family dwellings that are intended to be rented or leased, hotels and motels, public and private educational occupancies.
Mat Johnson was staying at the hotel when the incident happened and is wondering why the hotel didn’t have detectors in the first place.
“Whenever I found out that they didn’t have any carbon monoxide detectors, I was pretty frustrated to be honest with you, a little bit more frustrated than I was before,” he said. “I think about a place like that, a place of business, that they would have everything up to code.”
Johnson said since the incident, he bought a portable carbon monoxide detector to take with him when he stays in a hotel from now on.
“I’m just super nervous about that happening again,” he told Eyewitness News.
CHICAGO (CBS) — More than 100 people in Park Ridge were forced out of their apartments due to a carbon monoxide leak in the garage.
The Park Ridge Fire Department responded to the building near Touhy and Washington avenues after some tenants reported feeling sick.
“We were watching a movie, getting ready for bed with our boys here and the alarm went off. It was pretty dang loud in our bedroom, so we were freaking out at first,” resident Mikey Achramowicz said. “I went to the hallway. Alarms were going off. People were coming out their doors.”
Fire crews found high levels of the toxic gas in the garage after tenants said it was pressure washed.
Some people were checked out by paramedics, but no one was taken to the hospital.
Investigation report on the student death in December at Evergreen State College found that:
“Alarms on the CO detectors went off during the early-morning hours of Dec. 11, but instead of being treated as a real CO event, investigators said those alarms were treated as a faulty detector and/or a fault of the fire alarm system.”
“…the CO came from a significant leak from a newly installed tankless water heater in the inside the utility room of that unit.”
“…a lack of training and/or understanding of the functions of the fire alarm/CO systems by Evergreen employees and residence maintenance personnel.”
“A search and rescue effort began shortly after the explosion, with rescue crews working to restore ventilation, search for survivors and recover the dead. Four days later on the morning of March 6, five more miners escaped from the mine, surprising rescue crews when they walked out, according to the Department of Mines report. The report states the miners said they had made several attempts to escape over the previous days, but were unable to do so due to the afterdamp – a toxic, carbon monoxide-rich gas – filling some of the tunnels.”
“A bill from Sen. Paul Bailey (R-Sparta) and Rep. Darren Jernigan (D-Nashville) would require carbon monoxide monitors to be installed in every room where children are cared for in licensed childcare agencies. The installation would necessitate the carbon monoxide alarm be listed according to the International Building Code and the International Fire Code.”
“They want that underground fire put out sooner rather than later, saying they fear for their health and their homes….’It’s a lot of fumes coming up from the colliery, especially when it rains. We have intense fog. We’re getting carbon monoxide in our homes. It’s recommended to open your windows. It’s higher outside…’”
“Maricel Martinez, 47, a Spanish teacher at St. Albert the Great Catholic School in Huntingdon Valley, her husband, Jorge Cardona, 56, a cleaner at Springfield Township High School, and their daughter, Angelina Cardona, 12, were found unresponsive inside their Northeast Philadelphia home on Thursday, February 15…Martinez’s brother told NBC10 she had gone to the hospital on February 11 because she was experiencing headaches, and a neighbor said they saw Jorge Cardona trying to fix something in the chimney prior to his death.”
Fire Service Leaders Promote Alarm Installation, Testing, and Maintenance
“Be sure you have working CO alarms on every level of your home,” Chief Andrews said. “Test them every month and change the batteries twice a year. Like smoke alarms, they also need to be replaced eventually – usually after five, seven, or 10 years. Check the manufacturer’s instructions or look up the make and model online.”
“More than 100 calls about possible carbon monoxide exposure occurred shortly before Christmas 2022 in New Albany, Clarksville and Jeffersonville, WDRB News has previously reported. At least four people were taken to the hospital.
State regulators claimed CenterPoint failed to follow federal regulations when it improperly heated propane at its Jeffersonville facility, resulting in too much propane in the gas distribution system. The investigation found that the company didn’t have controls in place to prevent a mixture that ‘could cause improper combustion in consumer appliances.’”
“The DOH’s Environmental Public Health Tracking Program reveals that 89 statewide emergency department visits for carbon monoxide poisonings were reported from the National Syndromic Surveillance Program from Oct. 1, 2023, to date, according to a news release. Additionally, within the same period, there was one fatality of a male in his 50s from Chaves County.”
Denise was scheduled to work at the clinic in early February, but she never showed up…the 67-year-old was found unconscious in her home because of carbon monoxide poisoning. On Feb. 3, she died in the hospital…it’s possible the carbon monoxide detectors weren’t working.”
“The county said in a letter sent to employees that two employees ‘became ill and were transported to the hospital’…Other employees told WRAL Investigates they and their coworkers have been suffering for weeks, if not months, from nausea, headaches, fatigue and even fainting in the office. They learned in mid-January of the possible elevated level of carbon monoxide in their workplace, and believe that may be to blame. They fear the issue may have started months prior.”
“Walter Cranford died of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning on Jan. 17 during the Ice Storm where a power outage paralyzed Cottage Grove for an extended amount of time. Walter had brought a portable propane heater into his room to stay warm…Walter was one of 15 deaths in Lane County who died of carbon monoxide poisoning…”
At least one member of the Deadwood Recreation Center was hospitalized for several days due to carbon monoxide poisoning that was the result of a gas leak on Thursday.
Hilary White said she smelled gas when she walked into the weight room in the basement of the rec center for her normal workout. She didn’t think anything of it, until she started to feel sluggish and disoriented. Then, another man who was exercising at the same time asked if she felt sick like he did, and he suggested that they both get out of the building.
Two people are dead and one is in the hospital from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning near Princeton, about 50 miles north of Minneapolis.
The Mille Lacs County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a house in Princeton Township shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday for an initial report of a possible overdose.
When they arrived, they found one person dead in an upstairs bedroom, along with a semi-conscious dog. The man was identified as 27-year-old Marcos Larson of Princeton.
Deputies also found a woman and cat, both deceased, in another location in the house. The woman’s name has not yet been released.
The woman who called 911 was taken to a Princeton hospital. Her condition wasn’t available.
A fire and rescue crew determined there was a lethal amount of carbon monoxide inside the home.
Mille Lacs County Sheriff Kyle Burton said from the early investigation, it appears the occupants were using propane heaters and space heaters run by a gas-powered generator to heat the home. He said the house had no power or running water.
Burton said the tragedy serves as a reminder of the dangers of carbon monoxide.
“It is never safe to run combustion engines inside of an enclosed space,” Burton said. “Make sure your home is always equipped with working carbon monoxide alarms to alert you to dangerous levels.”
Sammi Baldwin said last month while cleaning an office space, she was overcome with carbon monoxide but didn’t realize it until it was almost too late. She is sharing her story of survival.
Monday, February 12th 2024, 5:41 pm
By: News 9, Deanne Stein
During the winter months, carbon monoxide poisoning calls go up. This year, EMSA so far, has responded to 17 carbon monoxide calls in the metro with four people transported to the hospital. One woman, who narrowly survived is sharing her story of survival.
Sammi Baldwin said last month while cleaning an office space, she was overcome with carbon monoxide but didn’t realize it until it was almost too late. “I just knew I was crawling for my life,” Baldwin said.
Listening to the 911 call from January 12, Baldwin says she knows she’s lucky to be alive. On the call, you can hear her gasping and choking for air. “I mean I was seconds away from not being here,” she said. “I could not get any air.”
Baldwin says she was cleaning for several hours when she had a headache and became dizzy. Thinking her blood sugar was low, she said she ate a piece of chocolate, but the symptoms worsened. “I got to the doorway and my legs went numb they went completely paralyzed, I collapsed right at the door,” Baldwin said.
She managed to call 911. “It was the generators during the ice storms, so we had generators going and there was, unfortunately, no airflow,” she said.
According to EMSA, the calls are more prevalent during the winter because people are using more heating sources like generators and space heaters. “It’s very quick, very lethal,” said Colin Roy, district chief with EMSA. “It can kill you pretty quick, most people will find themselves unresponsive before they even realize there’s a poisoning atmosphere that they’re in.”
Roy says the gas sneaks up on you because it’s odorless, colorless, and tasteless. “Oxygen really doesn’t stand a chance against carbon monoxide when it comes to getting on to those red blood cells and passing around the blood to our bodies,” Roy said. “So, their entire body is starting to shut down and the respiratory track is trying to keep up to keep more oxygen going but really they’re just breathing in more carbon monoxide.”
What helped Baldwin was crawling to the door, but she still struggled. “I knew I was dying,” she said. “I was okay with that, I wasn’t angry or upset, I was just really sad I couldn’t say goodbye to my husband or kids.”
Baldwin didn’t have to, she survived when paramedics arrived in time. Now, she wants to warn others. “The fact that I’m still here and I shouldn’t be, I know that it was God,” she said. “Life is way too short and it’s very precious, I think people take it for granted, wake up and think they’re going to be here, you don’t know, you never know.”
EMSA says anything that combusts a fuel is going to put out carbon monoxide, even wood-burning fireplaces. So, if you have symptoms of dizziness, headache, trouble breathing, nausea, or vomiting, get outside and call 911.
EMSA also stresses that every home and business should have carbon monoxide detectors. They’re available at any hardware store, and many models cost less than $15 or $20.
“‘…Turns out that we had a vent leaking from our boiler, down in the basement. So, we cleared the rec center and took some of our patrons, as well as our staff to the emergency room…’”
The facility reopened on Jan. 5, after Cheektowaga code enforcement inspectors completed inspections, but carbon monoxide detectors were heard again Saturday.
“’Due to our recently updated Olympia Ice Resurfacer again having emissions issues, and in the interest of safety, we have decided to remain closed for Sat. Feb 10 at Holiday Rinks. We are waiting on Olympia to provide a replacement machine,’ Holiday Twin Rinks posted to its Facebook page around 1:15 p.m.
‘Also, we have placed an order for 2 Electric ice resurfacers last month and are waiting to hear back on delivery times.’”
“‘This morning one of our officers was on patrol…He noticed a car backed up against the fence, running.
We were informed that they had car issues with a muffler, so that’s eventually what lead to the carbon monoxide leaking inside of the vehicle while they were sitting there…’”
“…evidence at trial showed that there were no obvious sources to explain elevated levels of carbon monoxide in the home. Mr. Way purchased products known to react together to create carbon monoxide…”
“Keith Sherk was just 21 years old when he died from CO poisoning. It happened 20 years ago, but to his father, the pain is as fresh as if it happened yesterday.
‘It was all accidental,’ recalled Sherk. ‘It could have been prevented with just one carbon monoxide detector in his little room.’”
“An official from Lansing Fire Department said workers had been using gas-powered power washers in the basement of the building, causing dangerously high carbon monoxide levels in the building.”
Related to uncontrolled exposure to potentially dangerous levels of carbon monoxide at the Idaho Cleanup Project.
On January 31, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Enterprise Assessments, Office of Enforcement issued Enforcement Letter (WEL-2024-02) to Idaho Environmental Coalition, LLC for deficiencies in implementing DOE’s 10 C.F.R. Part 851 Worker Safety and Health Program requirements related to uncontrolled exposure to potentially dangerous levels of carbon monoxide at the Idaho Cleanup Project.
“The event occurred on January 10, 2023, when workers were operating a
gasoline-powered welder generator inside the NRF-601 high bay. Earlier in the
day, IEC approved a work order change (WOC) for work order number 597489 to
move the generator from outdoors to inside the high bay. The WOC included a
warning that the generator produced harmful emissions that constituted a
respiratory hazard. In response to the WOC, workers established a safety
boundary around the generator, inserted a flex pipe into the exhaust stack, and
passed the flex pipe through the wall of the building to the outside…
…IEC did not report the CO exposure on the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration Form 300 or in the DOE Computerized Accident Incident
Reporting System database due to a misinterpretation of occupational exposure
reporting requirements.”
“The money will be used to cover the cost of a Washington State Patrol investigation into the death of the student, the cost to relocate students into other housing, and to make repairs to campus housing…”
“Authorities say they believe carbon monoxide is to blame for the death of a man found on Norcross Lake in Minnesota. He was found unresponsive in his ice shack…recommend having good ventilation in your ice shack, as well as a carbon monoxide detector.”
“Two men were treated for carbon monoxide poisoning near Spicer Wednesday. At 1:20 p.m. fire and ambulance crews were called to a home on Indian Beach Road, where two men had passed out while doing concrete work in the basement of the home…”
“Our crews entered the building. At one point they ended up getting a hit or found carbon monoxide. I believe they were about 80 parts per million that they found on that. And then, from there, we started to make sure the building was evacuated,” said BFD Deputy Chief Brooks Martin.
Management source interaction with tenant, ‘We have a lot of construction going on right now.’ They had these bags that were over top of the monitors to keep them away from debris. He asked me, ‘Did you remove the bag over the monitor?’ ‘Well, that’s probably why they’re going off because you removed the bag off the monitor…”
WHITE EARTH, Minn. (Valley News Live) – One man has died after carbon monoxide poisoning built up in the ice house he was fishing in.
The White Earth Police Department responded to a welfare check on Norcross Lake, northeast of White Earth, on Saturday, January 20. Officers located an unresponsive man inside a fish house and EMS on scene determined he was deceased.
Investigators say 37-year-old Nathan Ray of Borup, Minnesota, died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
“Propane heaters use oxygen from the air for combustion, and release CO as a byproduct. Without proper ventilation, CO levels can build up inside your ice shelter without you knowing and can quickly cause illness or death,” first responders said.
White Earth Police remind everyone to take precautions when ice fishing. They say every ice shelter should have a carbon monoxide detector, be sure to test the detector regularly, and keep vents clear.
“Some families at Canyon View Middle School said they haven’t yet decided if they will send their student back to school Wednesday when in-person classes resume.
The school went virtual for two days following multiple reported carbon monoxide exposures on campus last week. Officials said all of the school’s carbon monoxide detectors will be tested while students are at home…It looks great on paper, there’s nothing there, everything’s testing 0, but three days, people have tested for CO poisoning…”
Canyon View Middle School will hold remote learning this week while the building is tested for carbon monoxide, days after it was evacuated due to suspected exposure.
SPENCER, IA (KTIV) – One person was hospitalized after Spencer Fire Rescue were called to the Holiday Inn in Spencer, IA because of high carbon monoxide levels Saturday.
According to Spencer Fire Rescue, they were called Saturday night to assist Black Hills Energy. Five customers had to be evacuated.
A faulty heating system was identified as the potential problem according to authorities.
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