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Carbon monoxide leak forces evacuations in downtown Kansas City
Missouri –
“…the leak originated from a generator left running inside a cleaning van, causing exhaust to seep into the CVS and Commerce buildings…”
Carbon monoxide poisoning in KCMO leaves three dead, one in critical condition
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – On Saturday, the Kansas City Fire Department reported a triple fatality carbon monoxide call.
According to KCFD, a carbon monoxide call was made around 6:50 a.m. concerning a residence near Fuller Avenue and 10th Street in Kansas City, Missouri.
When crews arrived, they found three people dead and one in critical condition. The surviving victim was taken to an area hospital.
All four victims are males between the ages of 20 and 40, but no other identifying information is available at this time.
KCFD is investigating the incident and believes it may have been caused by using a generator indoors, but this has not been confirmed.
This incident is just blocks away from a similar incident in November, where three men were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a generator running indoors. KCFD warned that using generators in this manner is extremely risky.
“If you’re going to run any sort of gas-powered engine indoors or in a confined space whether it’s a generator or power washer, yeah, you’re playing a dangerous game,” battalion chief Michael Hopkins said at the time.
KCFD has issued safety tips on how to protect your home from poisonous gas.
Carbon monoxide poisoning in KCMO leaves three dead, one in critical condition (kctv5.com)
Taco Bell employees in Liberty worried after carbon monoxide scare
LIBERTY, Mo. (KCTV) – One person was sent to the hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning after a scare Sunday morning at a Taco Bell in Liberty. Two other people were treated for CO poisoning, but they did not require a trip to the hospital.
It happened at the Taco Bell between Elizabeth Street and Orchard Avenue off 291-Highway. Liberty FD said the carbon monoxide levels were considered dangerous.
“I was told we were standing in fatal amounts of carbon monoxide,” said Drew Wilmeth, who is the opening shift lead at the Taco Bell location. “I was told that 500 [parts per million] is fatal in minutes, and we were standing in 285.”
An employee reached out to the fire department Sunday morning after staff members had complained of symptoms over their last two shifts. When Liberty FD arrived on scene and started measuring the carbon monoxide levels, they told the restaurant employees to leave immediately.
“The levels were in the mid-200′s [parts per million],” said Liberty Assistant Fire Chief, Christopher Young. “That’s unsafe.”
“Once they got near the fryer and the cooking stuff in the back, they immediately were like ‘Get out, now. Just get out. Leave,” said Wilmeth. “We all quickly jumped up and ran out.”
According to industry experts (Carbon Monoxide Levels | Kidde), people will start to feel headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and nausea when carbon monoxide is at 200 PPM. Closer to 400, it can become deadly after three hours.
“There wasn’t a person at work who didn’t complain about their eyes burning, or having a headache, or feeling nauseous, or anything like that,” said Wilmeth.
Liberty fire says the culprit for the dangerously high carbon monoxide level was a faulty ventilation fan that has since been repaired.
“They had their maintenance crews, Taco Bell maintenance crews, come out,” said Young. “They remedied the problem. Since then, all the levels are down to an acceptable level.”
While the issue is fixed, the Taco Bell employee who spoke to KCTV5 wants to see systems in place to prevent Sunday’s scene from happening again.
“I would think if there was a significant carbon monoxide problem at a place of business, that there would be detectors in level that are that bad for us,” Wilmeth said.
The Taco Bell location remained closed on Sunday night. It is scheduled to reopen on Monday morning.
Taco Bell employees in Liberty worried after carbon monoxide scare (kctv5.com)
Woman’s carbon monoxide alarm helps save Clayton high-rise
Clayton, Missouri –
“…the highest carbon monoxide readings came from the building’s heating units located on the roof. The building did not have carbon monoxide detectors.”
Mother, son die by carbon monoxide poisoning
Missouri –
“The generator was in an enclosed area…a breezeway between the garage and the home and the house, but it was an enclosed breezeway. The generator was in that breezeway, which allowed the carbon monoxide fumes to go into the residence…it’s crucial to never use a generator inside your home, basement, or garage or less than 20 feet from any window, door, or vent.”
Mother, son die by carbon monoxide poisoning – Daily Journal Online
Students sickened by carbon monoxide leak at Kansas City elementary school
Kansas City, MO –
“Crews believed the leak started in the boiler room. The facility had two boilers and they were working to determine which boiler has the leak.
District officials said a building contractor was on-site at Longfellow last week and no issues were noted at the time.”
Kansas City emergency crews sent to Longfellow Elementary carbon monoxide leak (kmbc.com)
NFPA Journal: General Negligence
“A new Fire Protection Research Foundation report highlights the nation’s enduring CO problem”
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2021spring/index.php?startid=20#/p/20
CO Detection: What It Is and Why We Need It
Kansas City, MO, nursing home patients evacuated for CO leak
https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/nearly-70-nursing-home-patients-evacuated-after-carbon-monoxide-leak
Zamboni Suspected in Ice Rink Carbon Monoxide Poisonings
WENTZVILLE, Mo. —
“The Lindenwood Ice Rink is closed after collegiate hockey players from the University of Wisconsin and Lindenwood University suffered carbon monoxide poisoning during a game Friday night… (CO) was measured at a level of 200…”
https://www.ozarksfirst.com/local-news/zamboni-suspected-in-ice-rink-carbon-monoxide-poisonings/
Family of 4 poisoned by CO at coin-operated laundry
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis Missouri)
Image credit: newspapers.com
