Officers learned the man was visiting family at the home, but was not allowed to bring his dog inside the house. Family members said the man would normally open the garage door.
Members of the Grace Fellowship Church in Fort Thomas are mourning the loss of a mother following a youth group retreat this weekend.
Kentucky State Police say two women from the church were on the retreat with a youth group at The Bluegrass Palace in Langley, Kentucky, when they were found unresponsive.
Kara Hanks, a mother and one of the leaders of the youth group, was dead by the time she arrived at the hospital, according to Floyd County Coroner Greg Nelson.
Troopers said the women were taken to the hospital for suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. Nelson said he couldn’t confirm a cause of death until after the toxicology report and an autopsy were finished.
Fourteen people in New Haven were hospitalized Wednesday for carbon monoxide poisoning.
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said a person was found unconscious on the street in the area of 73 Howe St. They were taken to a local hospital, where medical personnel determined they were suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Officials went to the scene and learned that the high levels of carbon monoxide were coming from a construction site at a Yale-owned building where crews were sawing a concrete floor using a propane saw. Fire officials said the building had inadequate ventilation for the tools used.
“Typically, when you use such equipment, you’ll have carbon monoxide monitoring and good ventilation,” Elicker said. “There was no carbon monoxide monitoring going on on-site.”
New Haven Fire Battalion Chief Greg Carroll said, “Some of our meters went into overload” when firefighters first arrived.
“It was about 350-400 parts per million, which are dangerous levels, so we quickly went through the building and evacuated it,” Carroll said.
Elicker said ten construction workers and four employees at Yale’s campus security office next door had been taken to the hospital for carbon monoxide poisoning.
The person who was found unconscious was transferred to a hospital in New York for further treatment and is in critical condition. The other 13 are said to be in stable condition.
According to a construction official, carbon monoxide levels in the area have decreased.
In a statement to News 8, a U.S. Department of Labor spokesperson said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had opened an inspection of Alberca Construction Company LLC following the hospitalizations.
“During the inspection, OSHA will gather whatever information is necessary to determine what happened and if the employer is in compliance with OSHA standards,” the spokesperson said. “If the inspection identifies violations, OSHA could issue citations and propose penalties for the employer.”
OSHA has up to six months to complete the inspection.
New Haven Fire Chief John Alston said the incident reminds companies and residents to use carbon monoxide detectors.
“As we hit this cold snap, I know the mayor has been having our cold emergency meetings just to advise people to be very careful when you’re sealing up your houses and turning on these heating systems to make sure you have a CO detector.”
The city has issued a work stoppage order for the construction site as officials continue investigating.
A Laguna Beach, California, couple filed a lawsuit against Sun Valley Co. last month, alleging that four members of their family suffered carbon-monoxide poisoning while on resort property in December 2022.
George Sumner and Lauren Sumner are asking for compensation of more than $10,000 for alleged negligence and “significant bodily injuries,” according to their initial complaint, filed in 5th District Court by Boise-based attorney David Comstock.
According to the lawsuit, the couple booked a guest cottage near the Sun Valley Pavilion for themselves, their two minor children and George Sumner’s parents for Dec. 21-27, 2022. The two-story house at 152 Baldy View Loop was built in 1950 and is heated by a basement gas furnace, Comstock wrote. The type of heating system was allegedly not specified in the vacation listing, he said.
Blood tests administered to three members of the Sumner family in the St. Luke’s Wood River emergency room on Dec. 23, 2022, allegedly showed that Lauren, George’s mother, Melinda, and Melinda’s husband, Steven, had carboxyhemoglobin levels between 13-16%, the lawsuit states.
Levels above 2% for nonsmokers and 9% for smokers indicate carbon-monoxide poisoning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). People with underlying heart conditions may die at an exposure level above 10%, and levels over 50% are lethal, according to the CDC.
The Sumners’ complaint stated that, upon arriving at the cottage on Dec. 21, 2022, the family realized that the heat had not been turned on and ate dinner at the adjacent Sun Valley Lodge while waiting for the home to warm up. The children slept in twin beds on the second floor while adults slept on the first floor that night, Comstock stated.
However, on the morning of Dec. 22, 2022, both children allegedly woke up feeling “unwell” and suffered vomiting, “stomach aches, headaches, and nausea” over the next few hours, the complaint stated. Lauren Sumner and George Sumner’s mother, Melinda Grubbs-Sanders, also allegedly awoke with headaches that morning, Comstock stated.
Lauren and Melinda stayed behind in the cottage to rest and supervise the children that morning, according to the lawsuit. Lauren allegedly called St. Luke’s for health advice on Dec. 22 and was advised to “try over-the-counter supplemental oxygen and electrolyte tablets,” Comstock wrote. These measures allegedly improved the older child’s health, but the younger child “was still nauseous and vomiting into the evening” as temperatures outside dropped to around zero degrees, Comstock stated.
When the Sumner family awoke the next morning, Dec. 23, “many of their symptoms had grown worse,” the lawsuit stated. Melinda Grubbs-Sanders allegedly “awoke with the same headache and almost lost her balance in the shower after experiencing severe lightheadedness,” and Steven Grubbs-Sanders “also awoke feeling lightheaded and struggling to catch his breath,” according to the complaint.
Because the younger child was still vomiting and she still had a headache, Lauren stayed behind in the cottage on Dec. 23 while her husband and their older child left to go skiing, the lawsuit stated. While showering on Dec. 23, Lauren allegedly “got so lightheaded she almost fainted” and lay on the shower floor and bathroom floor because she could not walk, Comstock stated.
When George returned with the older child, he allegedly “found Lauren severely disoriented” and, suspecting a gas leak, opened the bedroom windows “to get fresh air into the house,” according to the lawsuit. He allegedly called a front-desk resort employee, who arranged for a maintenance worker to stop by the cottage about two hours later.
The lawsuit states that the maintenance worker arrived with a carbon-monoxide detector. The device allegedly went off as soon as the worker entered the cottage. Another HVAC technician hired by the resort allegedly entered the cottage with a different carbon-monoxide detector, which also began beeping, according to the lawsuit. The latter technician allegedly turned off the furnace, opened up another door and instructed the family to exit “immediately,” the complaint stated.
The technician’s concern allegedly prompted the family to seek treatment in the emergency department at St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center in Ketchum the night of Dec. 23, 2022. Lauren, the younger child, Melinda, and Steven each required supplemental oxygen at the hospital to remove CO gas from their systems, the complaint stated.
“Blood tests showed that Lauren had an elevated heart rate, and her carboxyhemoglobin level was 15.3 (percent),” Comstock wrote. Melinda’s carboxyhemoglobin level was allegedly 13.1% at the time she was tested, and Steven’s slightly higher, at 13.6%. The child allegedly had “similar or worse carbon monoxide poisoning” than Lauren, the lawsuit said.
The Sumner family also sought hyperbaric oxygen therapy on Dec. 24 and Dec. 26 to treat its alleged carbon-monoxide poisoning, according to the lawsuit. Comstock did not specify where that treatment took place.
The family left Idaho on Dec. 29, but the family members’ symptoms “persisted or worsened” after returning home, Comstock stated. Lauren Sumner allegedly continued to experience “anxiety, chest pains, shortness of breath and brain fog,” while Melinda Grubbs-Sanders continued to experience “shortness of breath, brain fog, and unsteadiness” and the younger child “nausea, headaches, blurred vision” and emotional disturbances, the complaint said.
The four affected family members allegedly sought out “more hyperbaric oxygen treatments, brain scans, echocardiograms, MRIs” and neurological exams after their vacation in Sun Valley. “It is unknown if all the effects of their carbon-monoxide poisoning have been fully discovered or resolved,” Comstock wrote.
The civil lawsuit ultimately alleges negligence, accusing Sun Valley Co. of breaching its duty of maintaining the guest cottage “in a safe condition” and failing to inspect its premises “for conditions or hazards that could pose a threat to guests.” The Sumner family is therefore seeking “economic and noneconomic damages” for “severe emotional distress … accompanied by physical manifestations.”
“Plaintiffs’ injuries have caused and continue to cause great mental and physical distress, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life,” the lawsuit states. “[Plaintiffs] … will continue to incur medical expenses and other expenses related to their injuries for some time into the future. The exact amount of said expenses is unknown to the plaintiffs at the present time but will be proven with particularity at the time of trial.”
The family has demanded a jury trial with “no less than 12 people.” As of press time, Comstock had not responded to requests for comment and Sun Valley Resort declined to comment
NEVER run a gas powered generator inside your home or other enclosed space – they produce lethal levels of carbon monoxide. Always have a battery powered CO alarm nearby when a generator is running.
“Because the apartment building had lost power, crews determined the family had been running a generator indoors and cooking inside the apartment with a propane camp stove.”
“More than one hundred kids and teachers were evacuated from Prairie Heights Elementary School Friday because of heightened levels of Carbon Monoxide found in the building…”
“I was working at the Harborview Emergency Room that evening, and in addition to caring for the usual mix of patients as well as some injured from the storm, medic units began bringing in entire families who were suffering from the same symptoms…”
“The three people were found dead inside their trailer home on Indian Hill Drive.
Investigators say electricity was turned off to the home several weeks ago, so the owner put a generator out. But, investigators said the park doesn’t allow generators, so they put the generator in the back bedroom.
The victims were asleep in the front of the home when the fumes started to spread.
Investigators said one of the victims didn’t show up for work and when a family member came to check on them it was too late.
The victims have been identified by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office as David Vertis Dye, 53, of Crittenden; David Vertis Lee Dye, 21, of Crittenden; and Aubrie McGoveny, 20, of Covington.”
“Both mothers claim the daycare did not have carbon monoxide detectors at the school, and the leak was detected when another parent with a detector walked into Elm Hill, and the alarm went off.”
SANDY, Utah — A Smith’s grocery store was evacuated on Sunday morning after a group of firefighters were grocery shopping and noticed an unusual smell of combustion.
At 9:18 a.m., a crew from the Sandy City Fire Department was grocery shopping at 10305 S. 1300 East. Sandy City public affairs said a worker at the store mentioned the smell to the firefighters and they immediately began taking readings for carbon monoxide.
The crew detected high levels of the gas and alarms began to ring. The city said 30 people were evacuated out of the building and there was no complaint of illness or injury.
The energy company arrived shortly thereafter at the store to shut down furnaces and clear exhaust vents.
Sandy City gave a statement to the press reminding Utahns of the importance to routinely check for possible leaks during the cold season. A recent trend in carbon monoxide leaks in Utah includes a church in Monroe and a preschool in Draper.
“In light of the recent gas leak incident during services at a church in Monroe, Utah,” the statement read.” This serves as a reminder of how important it is to keep vents clear and furnaces in healthy working condition this time of year. CO is odorless and can be extremely dangerous when exposure levels are high and lengthy.”
“The Burger King in Exeter Township closed after an off-duty UGI (utility company) employee sensed something amiss when he stopped in Sunday afternoon…He decided to grab his own meter from home and ended up finding elevated levels of carbon monoxide.”
All businesses with CO sources should have CO detection installed to protect customers and staff
Union County emergency personnel were called to 2158 Sharps Chapel Road on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, around 3:20 P.M. for three people suffering from what was described as possible carbon monoxide poisoning.
Volunteer firefighters from Sharps Chapel Fire Department responded to assist Union County EMS at Alpes Sanfer, Inc. after a call was placed to 911. At the time of dispatch, emergency personnel were told that everyone was out of the building in question.
Responding firefighters found that to be untrue. When they arrived on the scene, firefighters saw 12-15 individuals in a panic, running in different directions. There are multiple buildings on the site including several barns that are large enough to house up to 9,000 chickens. The site is described as a small city that is extremely muddy due to the continued construction.
Two employees were inside one of the barns and according to the report, were alert but experiencing dizziness. It is unclear if any of the three affected employees lost consciousness. The fire department was told that employees were using a gasoline powered pressure washer inside the barn without proper ventilation where the incident occurred. Fortunately, the barn had been ventilated as firefighters arrived on the scene.
The three employees were transported with lights and sirens activated to Claiborne County Hospital with classic carbon monoxide symptoms. A supervisor accompanied them to the hospital for translation purposes.
SMYRNA, Del. (CBS) — Carbon monoxide can quickly make people disoriented. Fortunately for this Delaware student, she was able to put her watch to work.
“It was extremely scary,” Natalie Nasatka said.
Nasatka is starting the new year grateful to be alive.
“I ended up losing consciousness,” she said.
She’s describing a bout of carbon monoxide poisoning that happened in her Smyrna, Delaware apartment.
“I was feeling extremely exhausted,” Nasatka said. “My vision was getting blurry.”
Before she passed out, Nasatka reached for her Apple Watch. She hit the SOS button, putting out an emergency call to 911.
“When I heard the firefighters yell out ‘fire department’ and they yanked me out of bed, I just started crying and saying ‘I want to live. I want to live,'” she said.
Carbon monoxide is a gas that has no color, odor or taste.
The silent killer claims more than 400 people a year and sends 50,000 Americans to the emergency room.
“It is a lack of oxygen that affects the body. There are certain things become irreversible, the heart can be damaged. Once the brain has been without oxygen for too long, there can be irreversible symptoms,” Dr. Lynn Farrugia, an emergency department physician, said.
The early warning signs include dizziness, confusion and vomiting.
“I’ve been riding waves of emotions,” Nasatka said.
Nasatka, who’s a student, said she was lucky that help arrived quickly and she was revived in an ambulance with oxygen.
“The carbon monoxide was confirmed because the fire department monitor read 80 parts per million in the apartment, which is extremely high,” she said.
She thinks the gas leak came from a faulty heater, which is one of the leading causes for carbon monoxide poisoning in the winter.
Plus, there was no detector in the apartment, something she admits she should have had for herself and her pet, who survived because firefighters opened a window.
“I saw my cat and I just picked her up and said ‘Our job here on Earth isn’t done yet,'” she said.
Experts say all homes should have carbon monoxide detectors, they’re actually required by law in some states.
Monroe, Utah • Nearly 50 people were treated for carbon monoxide poisoning Sunday after the toxic gas was detected in a south-central Utah meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
According to the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office, emergency medical teams were called to the Monroe East chapel for two separate patients. The first was for a 4-year-old girl who was having breathing problems. She had been sick earlier in the week, so it was believed that she was experiencing lingering symptoms from that illness. About an hour later, emergency crews were called to the church again for a man who was feeling sick.
Later that day, family members reported that they all had headaches when they returned home from the church. The Monroe Fire Department then went to the building, where crews detected high levels of carbon monoxide. The building was evacuated.
Officials said that throughout Sunday evening, multiple people became sick and went to Sevier Valley Hospital in nearby Richfield to seek treatment. A church spokesperson said 54 people in total reported symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. Of those, 49 were treated, and 22 of them needed to be transferred to other hospitals for further care.
A church statement said the leak was caused by a malfunction in the building’s heating system.
GALESBURG, N.D. — Hundreds remain without power from this week’s ice storm and it could be for a few more days before power is restored.
One couple who lost power for a couple of days thought they were being extra cautious as they fought to keep the power going to their home.
They still nearly lost their lives.
Alan Paulson was dodging melting ice chunks from trees as he started the cleanup in his yard.
“Scary, probably shouldn’t be under here,” he said as chunks of ice fell.
That wasn’t nearly as scary as what Alan and his wife Sheri experienced Thursday.
“I thought we were safe,” he said.
After losing power, the couple set up a generator outside their garage in Galesburg to help keep their furnace and other appliances running.
The generator was placed about a foot from the garage door, which was closed except for where the power cords ran through.
The exhaust was facing away from the house.
“Probably a quarter-inch on each side,” he said referring to the gap under the garage door where two power cords were running.
It was just enough room for the wind to blow carbon monoxide from the generator back into the garage.
“The furnace probably blew it in around into our house,” he explained.
After having it running for five hours, the couple shut off the generator before bed for safety.
They admit they also took their plug-in carbon monoxide detectors out of the sockets because they kept beeping since the home was without power.
The next morning, the couple woke up with headaches and nausea.
“If we had run that generator all night we would probably not be here,” said Sheri Paulson.
After airing out their home while waiting for first responders to come check for possible carbon monoxide, firefighters still detected levels inside their home at 170 parts per million.
They should be below 10 parts per million.
Carbon monoxide in the human body should be around 3%.
Alan’s was around 40% and Sheri’s around 30%.
The couple spent five hours in the hospital receiving oxygen.
“They said we were very lucky, so that’s why we chose to be honest about this with people and share our story,” said Sheri.
What keeps playing through Alan and Sheri’s minds is the fact that their 2-year-old granddaughter was supposed to come over for the day on Thursday.
“We don’t even want to imagine if she had been with us,” Sheri said.
A couple lucky to be alive is now using the opportunity to share life-saving tips, namely installing battery-operated carbon monoxide detectors and using caution when placing generators.
“A generator should be 25 to 30 feet from your house and should not be near any doors or windows,” Sheri said, citing CDC guidelines.
“On Friday, December 22, Bob, Barb, and Tim Modzeleski were found dead in their Alpine Township home, following a carbon monoxide leak that sprung from a boiler.
CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WIVB) — Around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, readings showed a dangerous amount of carbon monoxide in the air, resulting in the Holiday Twin Rinks being evacuated.
Still, one parent told News 4 that his team practiced here 24 hours before, experiencing the same symptoms, not thinking much of it until Wednesday’s news.
“My son slept well past 10 a.m. the next day, so it’s really scary. Looking back on what happened, we really didn’t know, and we just wouldn’t have pushed our players as hard if we knew that there was carbon monoxide poisoning,” said Southtown Stars coach Frank Bogulski.
Not only was his son experiencing symptoms on Tuesday, but that night, Frank’s resting heart rate was 100, it normally sits at 60.
The next day upon hearing the news of the rink’s evacuation, the dots connected, and he headed to the ER.
“My son and I did go to the Mercy Ambulatory Care Center, which was wonderful. They saw us quickly tested our blood and found we did have elevated carbon monoxide, even though it was the next day, and my heart rate was still elevated we were okay thankfully,” Bogulski said.
The visit to medical professionals also had another benefit of calming his son’s nerves through the scary situation.
“I just felt more scared than anything. Today, I feel way better. I think that’s also the fact that I got blood work done and just made sure that I was okay,” Jack Bogulski said.
In total, over 100 people sought hospital treatment from various hospitals according to Cheektowaga police. The rink initially planned to re-open Thursday but instead opened briefly on Friday morning.
The Friday opening did not last long, as carbon monoxide was detected again, leading to the building’s immediate clearing and closing for the day. They will remain closed through Jan. 1 to ensure there are no other issues.
A step Frank says makes him and his family feel safe to lace up the skates at Holiday Twin Rinks again.
“My advice to my team would be to make sure that we have assurances from not only the owners of the arena and the managers of the arena, but also our public officials and fire departments,” concluded Bogulski.
CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WIVB) — Multiple people were hospitalized after what was originally believed to have been a gas leak at a local ice skating rink Wednesday.
Cheektowaga police and Forks Fire Department responded to Holiday Twin Rinks at approximately 6:30 p.m. for reports of a strange smell and children presenting symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, police said.
Carbon monoxide is defined by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission as “a deadly, colorless, odorless, poisonous gas” “produced by the incomplete burning of various fuels.”
Forks fire crews confirmed that there were “extremely” high levels of carbon monoxide, and the building was immediately evacuated, according to police. They said Wednesday night the building was being ventilated by the fire department, and that state and county officials had been made aware of the situation.
Multiple ambulances responded to the scene to evaluate and transport people to surrounding hospitals. Cheektowaga police told News 4 that at least two children and one adult were hospitalized.
News 4 received reports from parents that multiple children were experiencing headaches and some were throwing up.
One mother shared a photo of her son, who playing hockey at Holiday Twin Rinks on Wednesday night, receiving oxygen. She told News 4 they found six times the normal amount of carbon monoxide in his blood.
“The team at Oishei Children’s Hospital activated very quickly with an all-hands-on-deck response, seeing 23 patients in an approximately two-hour timeframe,” Kaleida Health said. “Fortunately, all were treated and released. Was a phenomenal team response in the emergency department with physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, registration, EVS, and security all working together to get the patients evaluated. All of this occurring, mind you, in a major spike in cases of COVID-19, RSV, and the flu. It’s a testament to the workforce and providers at Children’s Hospital.”
Kaleida said 13 other patients were treated at DeGraff Medical Park, Buffalo General Medical Center and Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital. According to Cheektowaga police, 111 people sought treatment at various hospitals Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Several were treated for carbon monoxide exposure, but none were formally admitted.
The ice rink announced on Facebook that they would be closed on Dec. 28 while repairs were made, and later shared an update Thursday morning saying they had been cleared to open by National Fuel.
Despite an anticipated 3 p.m. opening Thursday, Holiday Twin Rinks instead opened briefly on Friday morning, but carbon monoxide was detected again, leading to the building’s immediate clearing and closing for the day.
They will remain closed through January 1 to ensure there are no other safety issues.
National Fuel also shared an update on Thursday morning, saying an improperly working furnace in the snack bar area caused the high levels of carbon monoxide to build up over several days. Holiday & Leisure Rinks described the problem as “a faulty heat exchanger in our lobby heater.”
“This was not a gas leak, as reported, but a carbon monoxide build-up due to an improperly functioning piece of heating equipment,” National Fuel said, later noting that it’s now up to the facility owner to make repairs and “remediate the faulty equipment.”
Holiday & Leisure Rinks said it’s taking action.
“This heating item has been disconnected and is being fully replaced today,” they said Thursday, also sharing that National Fuel is checking all existing gas lines for issues.
“We are obviously disappointed that our CO2 detector failed us during this terrible event,” they said. “Today we have a company coming in to install ALL NEW detectors to ensure this does not happen again. We are very sorry that our customers in the building had to experience this event and we hope that all of our hockey families are feeling better!”
Every year, “about 170 people” in the U.S. die from carbon monoxide produced by non-automotive consumer products,” the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said.
Holiday & Leisure Rinks says it will cover any out-of-pocket medical costs for people who were there Wednesday night.
Gov. Janet Mills revealed the state Center for Disease Control has received multiple reports of possible carbon monoxide poisoning since Monday’s storm.
The Mills administration released tips on generator safety as many Mainers continue to deal with extended power outages.
In the release, it’s noted that 16 reports of carbon monoxide poisoning have been made in eight separate incidents due to improper generator usage.
According to the release, the poisonings were not fatal, but resulted in visits to emergency departments in the state.
According to the CDC, a single portable gas-powered generator can produce as much deadly CO gas as 100 idling cars.
“If you are using a generator or another source of heat, please be extra cautious and know the steps you can take to protect your family. With rising reports of carbon monoxide poisoning, we want Maine people to take every necessary precaution,” Mills said.
Those experiencing CO poisoning may have symptoms similar to the flu, including:
Headache
Nausea
Vomiting
Chest pain
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Confusion or altered mental status
Depending on a person’s exposure to CO, poisoning can cause coma or death in a matter of minutes.
When running a generator, remember to place it outside and at least 20 feet from windows or doors and follow all safety instructions provided for the equipment.
It’s suggested you place a battery-operated carbon monoxide detector near each sleeping area in your home. Those detectors should be checked regularly.
If you believe you have CO poisoning, leave your home, call 911 and do not go back inside the building until a fire department clears it.
CLARENDON HILLS, IL – A woman who said she was at the Hinsdale Golf Club a couple of weeks ago spoke Monday about what she saw during the reported carbon monoxide incident.
During a Clarendon Hills Village Board meeting, resident Ann Scott was speaking out against a proposed mandatory retirement age for firefighters, which passed later that night.
She then referred to the work of firefighters from Clarendon Hills and other fire departments who responded to the incident, which occurred about 10:30 p.m. Dec. 9.
During dinner, Scott said, “a woman’s head fell on the table.”
She was then taken to the floor.
“There were two other dinner parties going on at the same time. There was a doctor in the house,” Scott said. “There were two other people on the floor.”
Scott said she was so grateful for the firefighters, who conducted a carbon monoxide test.
“They got her immediately taken care of,” Scott said. “The carbon monoxide was so high that we had to get out of there quicker than a wink.”
She said she wanted to maintain that level of fire service in Clarendon Hills and surrounding towns.
In response to a Patch inquiry last week, acting Fire Chief Dave Godek said in an email that 10 people were sickened at the golf club, two of whom were taken to the hospital.
He said the club had a malfunctioning furnace, which appeared to be the source of the carbon monoxide.
The majority of the people felt better when they were moved to fresh air and declined to be taken to the hospital, Godek said.
The club, he said, had no carbon monoxide detectors. It now has temporary units installed while it figures out what type of system it should get to meet its needs, he said.
Messages for comment with the golf club, which is in Clarendon Hills, have not been returned. Its general manager, Mark Jablonski, is away from the club until later this week, a woman answering the phone said Tuesday.
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 is a poisonous gas; it is particularly dangerous because you can’t smell or taste it. Take necessary precautions to protect workers from the serious, and sometimes fatal, effects of carbon monoxide exposure.
“Campus officials said a contractor working in the Modular Apartments housing area of campus responded to carbon monoxide alarms earlier Monday, the college said in its statement. It wasn’t clear if this was the area where the affected students lived.
The McLane Black Lake Fire Department responded to the scene and conducted carbon monoxide testing in the impacted area on Monday evening, the school said.”
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Colorado Springs Mountain Metro Transit bus drivers are raising concerns to KRDO13 Investigates about their safety after a driver passed out on the floor of his bus during a medical emergency.
Driver Gary Turks believes the medical emergency was connected to carbon monoxide poisoning after bloodwork from the hospital showed high levels of the gas in his blood that night.
On November 8, Turks said he complained to multiple supervisors about smelling fumes on two buses he drove that day. He tells KRDO13 Investigates he was told he could either drive the buses or go home without pay.
KRDO13 Investigates obtained video from inside the bus, showing Turks driving during his ten-hour shift, even as multiple passengers also noticed the strong smell.
“It smells like lighter fluid or something right around here,” said a passenger on one of his last routes.
Turks said he doesn’t remember finishing his last route or dropping passengers off. Video shows him driving in the middle of the road and calling dispatch to say he was lost and didn’t know where he was. He eventually comes to a stop at the side of the road and slumps over the steering wheel before throwing up on the floor of his bus.
The video shows him trying to leave his seat without realizing he is still buckled in. He said he started to hallucinate, thinking he had crashed the bus and killed his passengers. Once he figures out how to leave the bus, he walks outside, looking for his passengers.
“I vaguely remember seeing the bus flipped over on its side and watching these tires spin,” Turks said. “That’s how bad I was hallucinating. I remember crying for the passengers. I couldn’t find them. I think that’s probably the most gratifying part, that I didn’t kill anybody.”
He eventually makes his way back to the bus and passes out on the floor for more than 15 minutes before a supervisor arrives.
“You okay? What’s going on?” Said the supervisor. “I told him about the fumes,” Turks is heard mumbling on the video. “The fumes? Gotcha, gotcha,” the supervisor responded.
Turks was then taken to the hospital, where he says doctors told him they found high levels of carbon monoxide in his blood. According to hospital documents, the tests show he had a value of 5.3 on a range of 0 to 5.
According to Mountain Metro, drivers are not city employees but contracted through a company named TransDev. Mountain Metro also tells KRDO13 Investigates the maintenance of their buses is also contracted out to TransDev.
“The feeling around work is, especially with our supervisors, that our drivers are crying over non-issues,” Turks said. “But these are very big issues.”
KRDO13 Investigates reached out to TransDev by phone and email about the concerns but we never heard back.
“It could have killed him and it could have killed a passenger,” said Courtney Turks, Garry’s wife and also a Metro bus driver. “He could have killed somebody just crossing the street. We almost lost him. He’s a father of five and we were married 20 years, and literally one night at work almost took him from us.”
The driver’s union president, Margie Sullivan, said multiple drivers have complained about leaking fumes on old buses for years. Turks claims the problem is only on old buses built from 2006 to 2009, but he said management at TransDev still forces drivers to use them.
“They need to take those old buses and rid them,” his wife said. “They need to be gone. You are putting your drivers in danger. You’re putting your passengers in danger every day.”
After this incident, Mountain Metro Transit tells KRDO13 Investigates it took the old buses out of service and tested them for carbon monoxide.
“The safety of our drivers and riders is a top priority for Mountain Metropolitan Transit (MMT). When we were notified of a driver illness possibly related to carbon monoxide (CO) leaks in our older buses, MMT pulled the buses that were of concern out of service. Third-party safety specialists were brought in to do thorough safety evaluations with a focus on carbon monoxide in the cabin of the buses, with multiple CO detection devices. CO levels detected in the buses were well below the World Health Organization acceptable standard of 9-10ppm for no more than 8 hours, with much higher exposures being required to pose a major health risk. The highest reading that was recorded on any of these buses was 1ppm.
There are a few other minor repairs such as coolant leaks that were found during the inspections that are being corrected; however, no major exhaust leaks were found. MMT is looking into the possibility of putting CO detection devices in these buses to make sure that levels continue to be safe for drivers and passengers.”
OLYMPIA, Wash. — One student is dead, and two others are injured after suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at Evergreen State College Monday evening.
“This is a tragedy, and we grieve for our students and families,” said Evergreen President John Carmichael.
A contractor working in the Modular Apartments housing area of the campus responded to carbon monoxide alarms earlier in the day on Monday, according to campus officials.
Campus police were called after a student residence manager was not able to contact a few students. An Evergreen police officer broke down their door around 8:30 p.m. and performed emergency CPR on the students.
“The alarms were going off for a couple of minutes. The police showed up, then the fire department showed up,” said Kris Pennington, a college senior who lives next door. “Then they pulled someone out on a stretcher and it looked like they were trying to do CPR on them for a while.”
Two students and the responding officer were taken to local hospitals. Campus officials said their symptoms were “consistent with carbon monoxide poisoning.”
The officer was hospitalized, but released Tuesday morning, according to Evergreen Police Chief David Brunckhurst.
The Thurston County Coroner’s Office (TCCO) responded to reports of a death at the college at 9:45 p.m. Jonathan Rodriguez, 21, from Dupont was found dead when they arrived, according to TCCO. The suspected cause of death is carbon monoxide poisoning, but TCCO will release an official cause after their investigation.
Washington State Patrol (WSP) is now trying to pinpoint the source of the toxic fumes.
“Washington State Patrol is looking into it. We’re going to find that out. That’s going to be the focus of our investigation,” said WSP spokesperson Chris Loftis.
Pennington said the alarms frequently trigger and speculated on one possible source.
“From what I’m aware of the only source of carbon monoxide would be the water heaters,” Pennington said.
McLane Black Lake Fire Department also responded to the scene and did carbon monoxide testing in the impacted areas. Campus officials contacted all Evergreen students in nearby campus housing to make sure they were safe Monday night.
“We’re all in shock. This is devastating news because the safety and care of our students is our top priority,” said Dexter Gordon, the executive vice president at the college. “We are grieving with our families, especially the bereaved family, and then the families of all of our students affected and then our staff who are our first responders.”
“Trace levels” of carbon monoxide were found Tuesday in a Hood College dorm that is now closed for the rest of the semester, the school said.
One student said she was diagnosed with carbon monoxide poisoning.
Smith Hall, a dorm next to the chapel at Hood, was evacuated twice since Friday after problems with a boiler, according to students in the dorm.
The Hood College website says 135 students live in the dorm.
Smith Hall was first evacuated in the early morning hours of Friday when a boiler was emitting smoke, students said. They were allowed to return Friday night.
However, the college evacuated the building again Tuesday morning after it “became aware of one student who was diagnosed with carbon monoxide exposure,” Mason Cavalier, a spokesman for the college, wrote in an email.
“Some trace levels of carbon monoxide were found in a couple of spaces in the building. These levels were slightly elevated, but within a range that is deemed acceptable,” he wrote.
He did not provide details on what caused the elevated levels of carbon monoxide.
Sarah Campbell, a spokeswoman for the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services, wrote in a text message Wednesday that Fire and Rescue responded and found elevated levels of carbon monoxide in the boiler room. Fire and Rescue did not take anyone to the hospital.
Kris Ventura, a freshman social work major, and Victoria Rego, a freshman biology pre-veterinary sciences major, said they went to Frederick Health Hospital with other friends Tuesday morning to get tested for carbon monoxide exposure after the college recommended students do so if they were concerned.
Both said they had been experiencing flu and cold symptoms, as well as lightheadedness and headaches, since Thursday.
By later in the day Tuesday, many of the residents had gone to a hospital to get tested, either in Frederick or at hospitals in their hometowns, Ventura said.
A lot of people posted updates on the social media app Snapchat, Ventura and Alix Parks, another Smith Hall resident and freshman social work major, said.
According to Cavalier, the college worked with FHH to arrange for students to get tested for carbon monoxide exposure if they wanted to. To the college’s knowledge, no students who were tested were admitted to the hospital, he said.
The school also is not aware of any students with carbon monoxide poisoning, because the test results were confidential, he said.
At the FHH emergency room, Ventura said, a doctor told her that her blood levels showed mild carbon monoxide poisoning. She was put on oxygen, and given medication for nausea and the headache, which cleared her symptoms.
Rego said a doctor told her she had carbon monoxide exposure, but it wasn’t bad enough that she needed to be put on oxygen.
Both Ventura and Parks said another student had carbon monoxide poisoning and went to a hospital where he lived. The News-Post was unable to reach the student to corroborate that account.
Parks said on Wednesday that her symptoms, most notably a headache, began Tuesday morning.
Parks said she spent the weekend at a relative’s house because she didn’t feel safe in Smith Hall. She returned to the dorm before the Tuesday morning alarm.
She went to FHH later on Tuesday night because her headache was worsening.
Because the emergency room was busy, she was put on oxygen first, then later had her blood tested, she said. She said that when her blood was tested, there weren’t elevated levels of carbon monoxide in her blood.
Parks and Ventura are currently living at their homes in Frederick or with family friends in Frederick. Rego, who is from Massachusetts, is staying at the Clarion Inn until her flight on Dec. 13.
She said she’s there with about 24 other students who need to stay for the short-term. Students who were planning to stay on campus over winter break were moved to different dorms, she said. The college is trying to figure out transportation and food for the students until they need to leave.
Cavalier wrote in an email that students staying on campus were provided with alternative accommodations. Asked about the students’ account of their hotel stays, Cavalier said he could not immediately get information about that.
The first evacuation, on Friday, happened around 3 a.m., students said. A boiler was emitting smoke.
Students were moved to the Whitaker Campus Center while authorities went through the building to determine whether the building was safe to reenter.
However, it wasn’t until hours later — around 8 a.m. — that students received a specific update, that they had a small window of time to grab enough things in their rooms for a day, they said.
After a hectic night and no place to stay or sleep, Ventura said, she was seeing her dormmates find anywhere they could sleep.
“You would walk in the library and there … would be people sleeping in chairs. There were people sleeping on tables wherever they could find,” she said.
They were allowed back in dorms Friday night, the students said. They had been unable to access their rooms and belongings for 16 hours, Rego said.
But on Tuesday morning, the fire alarm in the dorm went off again, around 7 a.m.
The college set off the fire alarm “out of an abundance of caution” after learning that one student was exposed to carbon monoxide, according to an email from the college to students.
Students said the college reported that the boiler was malfunctioning, but has not provided more details.
After the second fire alarm on Tuesday, the college closed the dorm and told students it would be closed until the spring semester, which starts in January.
With finals ongoing, the college said in its emails that faculty and staff were notified of the students’ situations, and that it would provide alternative spaces for those who wanted to stay on campus, such as other residence halls.
PENDER COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – Autopsies obtained by WECT reveal new details about how carbon monoxide poisoning killed three marines found dead in a car in Pender County earlier this year.
Tanner J. Kaltenberg, Merax C. Dockery and Ivan R. Garcia were found on Sunday, July 23, at the Speedway in Hampstead.
Per the autopsies, there was no obvious sign of suicide, foul play or drug use.
“The car was noted to be “lowered” and it was noted that the exhaust pipes were not connected and were rusted. It appeared that exhaust from the vehicle would have been released under the passenger cabin of the vehicle and not at the rear bumper. The vehicles [sic] key was noted to be in the on position. It was also determined the air conditioning was on at the time fuel ran out,” Garcia’s autopsy states.
The autopsy also notes that gas station footage showed the vehicle parked at the Speedway at 3 a.m. on Saturday, July 22, and “no one got in or out of the vehicle for the duration.”
KNIGHTDALE, N.C. (WTVD) — Workers and animals at Wake Veterinary Hospital & Urgent Care had to evacuate the building Monday due to a carbon monoxide poisoning scare.
It happened around 2 p.m. at the building located on Tandal Place in Knightdale near the intersection of Interstate 540 and Business 64.
ABC11 crews learned a generator associated with construction happening near the building was operating near the back door of the hospital. Exhaust smell from the generator caused someone to call the fire department.
First responders arrived and help evacuate the building out of an abundance of caution.
No humans or animals were seriously harmed, but they all could be seen gathering in the parking lot outside the building as first responders worked the scene.
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.
Engine Co. 8 was finishing up an EMS response at an east side restaurant when they noticed a smell of natural gas in the entryway of the building. Using their air monitor, Engine 8 identified elevated readings for natural gas and carbon monoxide in the air. The crew investigated and found the source to be a heating unit on the roof that wasn’t operating properly.
Carbon monoxide readings in the bathrooms serviced by this heating unit reached over 60 parts per million. People exposed to this level of carbon monoxide typically show symptoms after 4-5 hours of continued exposure.
Firefighters turned off the thermostat to stop the generation of more carbon monoxide, and MGE was called to their location. Meanwhile, Engine 8 and the property owner proceeded to the roof to check the heating unit. Upon returning indoors, they found someone had already turned the thermostat back on. New readings from the bathroom were now over 90 ppm. CO levels as high as 2000 ppm were detected directly from the exhaust of the heating unit, confirming this appliance was the source of the problem.
MGE shut down power to the heating unit and isolated the gas line servicing it. MFD and MGE advised that the unit must not be used again until seen and repaired by a certified technician.
MFD confirmed all air quality readings returned to normal before clearing from the call.
The EMS call that originally summoned Engine 8 to this location was not related to carbon monoxide exposure.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — The Genoa Township Fire Department sent out a warning after a family of four nearly lost their lives.
All four were rushed to the hospital after being exposed to carbon monoxide inside their home.
“The night before I started having headaches, and I don’t normally get headaches. I thought it was a virus going around because I have three kids and they bring viruses all the time,” said Danielle Carroll. “It just got worse and worse, and yesterday morning I felt like I couldn’t function. I felt like I couldn’t get up to get my six-year-old ready for school, and that’s never been difficult. I just felt like I couldn’t, my head hurt so bad.”
She says the heater exchange had a crack, causing a large amount of the deadly carbon gas to fill her home.
“They call it ‘the silent killer’, that’s why you just don’t wake up. I almost did. I almost went back to sleep because my head hurt so bad, and I didn’t, I couldn’t,” she said.
“Could absolutely be the matter of life or death,” said Genoa Fire Chief Joe Ponzi.
Three years ago, a family of four died in their home from carbon monoxide poisoning.
“That’s an incident that never goes away from your memory when you have to respond to an incident like that,” Ponzi said.
CO can come from many places. Any time you burn fuel in your vehicle, stoves, furnaces, or even fireplaces, the deadly carbon can build up and be deadly.
It’s not just around the winter months — Chief Ponzi says CO poisoning can happen year-round.
“Don’t think that it can’t happen to you. Don’t be the person that says ‘this could never happen to me in my home’, because it very much could,” he said.
Some of the symptoms include headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. If you suspect a carbon monoxide leak, leave the home and call 911 immediately.
Luckily, all of Carroll’s children are recovering from the exposure and are expected to be okay. She set up a GoFundMe to help pay for the unexpected cost.
The Columbus Division of Fire says they will install free CO detectors. City residents can make an appointment and call 614-724-0935.
DRAPER, Utah — Fire crews evacuated dozens of toddlers at the American Preparatory Academy in Draper Wednesday after high levels of carbon monoxide were detected.
At 3:15 p.m. fire crews arrived at the daycare after receiving reports of a possible natural gas leak. After detecting high levels of carbon monoxide inside the building, the school was ordered to be evacuated.
By the time they arrived, there were five students and five adults occupying the building. They all had noted possible symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure including headaches, nausea and vomiting.
According to American Preparatory Schools Executive Director Carolyn Sharette, it was at this time that staff immediately reported the incident.
“You can never be too careful when little kids are involved, obviously [we] don’t want anyone to be sick,” she said. “So, we’re really glad it was not as, not more serious.”
It is believed the source of the carbon monoxide originates from a gas-operated pressure washing system that was being operated on the outside of the building, where the carbon monoxide was able to enter the building from a door left open as well as an airway entrance on the rooftop.
A total of 45 toddlers and 10 adults were present on the school grounds while the power washing system may have been operated. None of the remaining people during the evacuation were transported to the hospital but were asked to transport themselves to a hospital to be examined for carbon monoxide exposure.
Officials say five children and four adults that were treated at the hospital are doing fine now, with the facility itself back up and running Thursday.
Officials are also asking anyone present at the school during this time to also be examined for carbon monoxide exposure.
Richard (left) was 53 and his son, Tom, was 26, when they took a Christmas holiday trip to Florida… “Tom and I arrived in Key West, checked into our room, and went out, toured around town, had dinner, and we had a great time. The next morning, I was getting into the shower and Tom was on the bed reading a book. That was my last vision of him.” (photo courtesy of Richard Lueders)
#DYK carbon monoxide (CO) and natural gas are not the same? Both can be lethal, albeit in different ways. A CO detector/alarm will not detect a natural gas leak. Combo alarms are available that detect both.
“Smoke alarms have become common…and even carbon monoxide sensors are gaining acceptance. But what many people may not realize is that natural gas detectors can give people an early warning that could avert disaster.”
“These ranges were recalled in January 2023, and consumers were offered a repair. ZLINE is expanding the remedies available to consumers to also include a replacement range or a refund. All consumers who have an affected range should immediately stop using the oven compartment, even if they have already had their range repaired as part of the prior recall.”
“Robertson said her parents had used the generator all night and, when her father woke up, he wasn’t feeling well. Her parents walked into the garage and her father passed out.
Her mother was able to call Robertson for help before she too collapsed. Robertson called 911 and emergency crews found the couple, but could not save Bert Ogborn. Cathy Ogborn was hospitalized, but is recovering.”
A sad reminder to never run a generator in an enclosed space. Generators should be run outdoors at least 20 feet from occupied spaces.
“Nineteen of Jade and Cassidee Smith’s family members were exposed to carbon monoxide on Friday night. As a result, seven of them were left unresponsive…”
An important reminder to always pack your own CO alarm when traveling
CLOSE CALL: This week we responded to a family of four experiencing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning – dizziness, nausea, and headaches. It was discovered that they had left their car running in the garage, causing a slow carbon monoxide leak into the home. Fortunately, all are now stable, but the situation could have been far graver.
Important reminder: Carbon monoxide (or CO for short) is a serious threat and can cause serious illness and even death. CO is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and highly toxic. Ensure your home is equipped with a functioning CO detector to safeguard against potential risks.
“Thomas Midkiff died in the early morning hours of Nov. 8 due to carbon monoxide poisoning in the Bass Pro parking lot in Denham Springs…His parents found him in his car around 3:15 a.m…”
“This was a 42 USC 1983 civil rights lawsuit brought against the Columbia Housing Authority on behalf of the family of Calvin J. Witherspoon, Jr. who died from carbon monoxide poisoning on Jan. 17, 2019, at the Allen Benedict Court Apartments in Columbia (South Carolina)…
…the facts alleged in this case shock the conscience: a public housing authority’s deliberate indifference to a risk of harm that threatened numerous families living in low-income housing. What is more, two men died because of that indifference…”
This incident led to a federal requirement for CO alarms/detectors in U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-Assisted Housing:
“The dog was barking at the carbon monoxide alarm going off in the basement. The alarm was too faint for anyone to hear upstairs, but not for the pup.”
Great story and important reminder to have CO alarms on every level of your home especially near sleeping areas.
Firefighters and multiple ambulances were called to a manufacturing facility on Vanguard Drive in Exeter Township Monday morning for a Carbon Monoxide Incident. According to initial reports, a chainsaw was being used inside the building. Four total patients were reported to be complaining of symptoms with one person initially described as unconscious.
Last night at approximately 1030, Company 33 was dispatched for a Carbon Monoxide Alarm in a residence. Chief 33-2 arrived to find a high volume of CO inside and requested Rescue 33 to assist with investigation and ventilation. Crews found the source to be a boiler exhaust pipe that had inadvertently detached and was feeding exhaust fumes directly into the basement. The house was ventilated and occupants were able to relocate without injury.
Crews found up to 1,500 Parts Per Million of Carbon Monoxide in the house which is enough to cause a human to become unconscious after approximately 20 minutes and lethal after 2 hours. The resident was about to lay for the night as the rest of their family was already asleep. They were alerted by the family dog. As they went to investigate the commotion, they heard the Carbon Monoxide Alarm sounding in the basement causing them to evacuate and call 911.
It is that time of year to check your Carbon Monoxide Detectors, replace the batteries and if you don’t have them, buy them. Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can only be detected by special sensors. It is most commonly produced by gas powered appliances as it is a byproduct of incomplete combustion (improper burning) that can back-feed into a residence by improper ventilation or appliance malfunction. Other common causes this time of year is blocked exterior dryer vents by either brush or snow and vehicles running in garages/vehicle exhaust leaking into a house. High levels of CO for a duration of time, as stated, is lethal. CO detectors will alert occupants early enough to escape with little to no health effects. They can be purchased at your local hardware stores such as Home Depot, Lowes, etc… We recommend CO and Smoke Detectors on every floor and in every bedroom.
“RFD officials say after investigating, a carbon monoxide leak was confirmed, and hotel guests were evacuated…fire dept. worked with the Kahler’s maintenance staff to identify and stop the source of the carbon monoxide.”
No information released on the source nor if there is any installed CO detection onsite.
The Rochester Fire Department and then worked with the maintenance staff at the hotel to identify the source of the carbon monoxide. That source was not identified in the Rochester Fire Department news release.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Suspected in the Deaths of two Santa Rosa Residents
On Tues., Nov. 7, 2023, at approximately 9:34 a.m., the Santa Rosa Fire and Police Departments were dispatched to 2705 Range Ave. for a medical incident involving two elderly adults down on the floor in an apartment and possibly deceased. The responding fire crew arrived and was met outside a first-floor apartment of a two-story multi-unit apartment complex by a maintenance representative. The representative advised that he entered the apartment to complete routine maintenance, found them and called 911.
The City of Santa Rosa Fire Dept. crew entered the apartment and located the two subjects. While checking for signs of life, it was determined that the subjects may have been exposed to carbon monoxide. Fire crews exited the residence, donned self-contained breathing apparatus, and re-entered the residence with specialized air monitoring equipment. The monitor confirmed high levels of carbon monoxide present. During the re-entry and while completing a thorough search of the residence, Fire crews located a dog inside a bedroom. The dog was still awake and alert, removed from the residence and turned over to Sonoma County’s Animal Control.
The Santa Rosa Police Dept. assisted the Fire crews in checking the remaining eleven apartments in the building for residents and the presence of carbon monoxide. Five residents from various apartments were located and evacuated from the building. All other apartments were clear of any carbon monoxide, and none of the additional residents had any medical complaints.
Santa Rosa Fire crews assisted the Santa Rosa Police Dept. with the investigation of the incident. Based on the preliminary investigation, it is believed that the deaths were the result of carbon monoxide poisoning from a natural gas fueled appliance. The official cause of death is pending the completion of victim autopsies by the Sonoma County Coroner’s Office. The investigation is ongoing. Santa Rosa Police and Fire were assisted by the Santa Rosa Building Division, AMR and PG&E.
“Clement is a Licensed Practical Nurse at Mayo Clinic and said when she first saw the child she wasn’t breathing, and her lips were blue.
‘I didn’t feel a pulse on her,’ Clement said. ‘So, I started CPR and she came back after less than a minute, but she still wouldn’t wake up.’
Clement said she thought the girl had been in the pool but found out later from police that the girl had been walking around and passed out.”
No information on source of CO or status of CO detection/alarm equipment. A reminder to carry a CO alarm when traveling and to keep it with you when spending time in any area of the hotel, including the pool area (due to a high number of CO incidents involving pool heaters).
Fire officials stress importance of quick response to carbon monoxide incident at Rochester hotel
“…authorities discovered the source of the carbon monoxide came from a gas-burning appliance near the pool area…Rochester Fire Captain Caleb Feine said every firefighter has a mobile carbon monoxide detector on their gear. ‘If this goes off and alerts us that carbon monoxide may be present, get our more specific, bigger monitors out and they will help verify the readings we are getting and we can determine if there’s a problem from there…’”
Great to see these clip-on monitors featured in this story. Hopefully one day these will be standard issue for all fire departments in the U.S.
“…the highest carbon monoxide readings came from the building’s heating units located on the roof. The building did not have carbon monoxide detectors.”
“Shortly after 9am this morning, Chief 1 and Engine 3 responded to a residence on Ned’s Point Road for a reported smell of gas.
The crew of Engine 3 entered the home and found an exhaust smell that was registering on our carbon monoxide meter at 200ppm, an extremely high level. Firefighters exited the building and donned our SCBA’s and then continued investigating. In one area of the home our meter registered 500ppm and then maxed out reading HIGH.
It was determined that a indoor pool heater had recently been turned on but during renovations to the home the heater vent pipe had been removed and shingled over resulting in exhaust and CO being forced back into the home. Our crews ventilated and secured the gas to the appliance.
CO is extremely dangerous in levels this high. Knowing that the levels were over 500ppm this incident could have resulted in unconsciousness and death. Luckily no one is living in the home as its undergoing renovations.”
“Crews arrived on the scene to find all four occupants, two adults and two children, had evacuated the home and were suffering from CO poisoning symptoms.
Firefighters entered the residence and found CO levels of 500 PPM along with a generator which was running in the basement.
Preliminarily, the residence was found to have no power with one or more gas generators in the basement powering appliances in the residence.”
“Davison Township Police Chief Jay Rendon said emergency crews found an 82-year-old man dead inside the house when they arrived. Firefighters pulled an 83-year-old woman outside.
An ambulance rushed the woman to Hurley Medical Center in critical condition. She later was airlifted to ProMedica Toledo Hospital in Ohio, where she remained in critical condition.”
Lives were saved earlier this week because of working smoke/ carbon monoxide detectors, a solid dispatcher who got help out quickly, and a robust fire/EMS response!
Fire & EMS at Grand Canyon National Park were dispatched to an NPS residence for a carbon monoxide alarm activation. Dispatch advised the residents to evacuate the home. Two firefighters entered the home while medics checked out the two adults and infant who lived there.
The entry team’s gas monitor immediately went into alarm for CO just a few feet inside the front door, and found levels between 50-60ppm. CO levels above 35ppm are considered immediately dangerous to life and health. Firefighters determined the source was the wood stove. They extinguished the fire in the stove and ventilated the home.
Within a few minutes CO levels were down to zero throughout the home and the wood stove will be inspected and the door gasket replaced.
This incident showcases the excellent work and dedication of our NPS first responders, and the importance of having working smoke/CO detectors!
The cause of death for two 17-year-old students has been determined to be carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the Oklahoma state medical examiner.
Kadence Brown and Jacob Lara were both 17 years old, and their families say the two were friends and athletes. On Sunday night, their families received the awful news after Tulsa Police were called to a parking lot near 21st Street and Yale Avenue where the teens were seen unresponsive in a car.
This morning Southampton Fire responded to Red Rock Plaza for a report of multiple patients exposed to epoxy fumes. Crews on scene found it was carbon monoxide exposure from a propane powered floor grinder and due to the number of patients called a MPI/MCI (multiple patient/casualty incident) and requested multiple ambulances from surrounding towns, and immediately triaged all patients. No casualties or injuries on scene, patients were transported to Baystate Medical Center for evaluation due to the time of exposure to carbon monoxide and symtpoms of CO poisoning. 3 of the patients were reported to have more severe symptoms. Thank you to Easthampton Fire Department/Chief Norris, Northampton Fire Rescue, Westfield Fire Department, Action Ambulance Service Inc. , and Southampton Police Department-Massachusetts/Chief Illingsworth for your assistance on the call. Thank you to the Easthampton public safety dispatchers for handling and getting all the resources needed to help with this call.
Engine 811B responded this morning to a report of a carbon monoxide alarm sounding in an apartment. While investigating, our crew discovered that the CO was actually coming from an adjacent unit where unfortunately alarms were not sounding. Entry to that apartment was forced, where Engine 811B and Truck 814 found and rescued 3 unconscious people who were then transported to a local hospital and have since thankfully recovered.
Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless, and deadly. Take a moment today to verify that you have carbon monoxide alarms in your home, and test them regularly to ensure they are functional. Maryland law actually requires that rental dwellings, hotels, and other types of occupancies have working carbon monoxide alarms.
Multiple people treated for CO poisoning. No mention of installed CO detection.
“A hazmat team found readings of carbon monoxide on the second floor and the building was evacuated…Fire crews and hotel staff had not been able to find the source of the leak, but Barto said the issue was expected to be fixed within a week as the hotel changed the building’s pipelines.”
“Firefighters were called to the Twin Park South East apartments…around 6:45 a.m. after a carbon monoxide alarm went off…Arriving first responders found 13 tenants in the nine-story building sickened by carbon monoxide fumes”
“Federal investigators say carbon monoxide was likely to blame for a fatal airplane crash last year in Pittsylvania County.
The Federal Aviation Administration this weekend released their final report on the February 1, 2022 crash east of Danville. It concludes the pilot was impaired due to carbon monoxide that came into the cockpit from undetected engine exhaust.
Investigator in Charge Lynn Spencer says the pilot, who was not identified in the report, shut down an engine after takeoff. There was no evidence that the engine had failed, which would have necessitated a shutdown.”
When the two didn’t show up to work Friday, police responded to their home for a welfare check and firefighters found the home was filled with dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
The Kobins did have a carbon monoxide detector that went off, but the couple couldn’t hear it.
Katie Kobin suffered damage to her heart from the carbon monoxide exposure. Family told FOX4 she’s fighting for her life, but she is awake and they remain optimistic.
Now, Lenexa police have confirmed the source of the carbon monoxide came from a car that was left running inside the garage.
“Carbon monoxide is considered the silent killer. It’s colorless; it’s odorless,” Butch Diekemper, an assistant chief of the Lenexa Fire Department, told FOX4 on Monday.
“I would encourage everybody to purchase a carbon monoxide detector, get it in your home immediately. Your family is worth that much.”
The EPA said half of all unintentional carbon monoxide deaths could be prevented by an alarm, but fewer than a third of all homes have them. A basic carbon monoxide detector will only cost about $15.
Have a carbon monoxide detector on every level where someone sleeps.
Any levels above 35 parts per million need immediate attention.
Never have your car running while the garage is closed – and pull it out when you start it.
Have all home appliances checked annually.
Symptoms include headache, dizziness and vomiting.
A 2019 report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission found that more than half of all deaths from carbon monoxide happen in the colder months, November through February.
Oct 4, 2023—Klamath Falls, Oregon. Yesterday, Oct. 3rd, just after 11 am, carbon monoxide (CO) alarms sounded inside at the Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Center (HOTC) of Southern Oregon and Klamath Falls Head Start (KFHS), located in the Town & Country Shopping Center, at 3810 South Sixth Street.
The source of the Carbon Monoxide (CO) fumes was found to have originated from a malfunctioning propane floor stripping machine located in a construction zone adjacent to the HOTC and KFHS suites.
The fire department found dangerously high levels of CO in the construction zone and lower levels in the neighboring suites. All students, teachers and personnel were safely evacuated from the exposed areas.
“They couldn’t have picked a better place to be surviving victims of carbon monoxide poisoning, than to be right next door to our Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Center” says Andrea Moore, the PA at the HOTC. “We are the only medical grade hyperbaric treatment center in The Basin available to provide this level of care needed for CO poisonings. And our service would not even have been available a few months ago.”
Dr. Monte Stewart, who owns Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Center (HOTC) of Southern Oregon immediately instructed his staff to offer free treatments to any student, teacher or contractor who had been exposed to carbon monoxide and showing symptoms of poisoning at this site. “These are our neighbors, and we are all in this together,” he said.
After the CO levels in the Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Center dropped, two neighboring workers were treated at the HOTC for CO poisoning symptoms (headaches, weakness and palpitations). Both patient’s symptoms were substantially improved by the end of their treatments.
Unfortunately, a lot of communities don’t have access to hyperbaric chamber technology or therapy. Since July 21st, 2023, Klamath Falls is blessed to have a medical grade, hard chamber, inside the Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Center of Southern Oregon (The Center). The Center is a great complement to the existing medical care already offered in the Klamath Falls Basin.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is an effective approved therapy for numerous illnesses and conditions. Some of the more recognizable illnesses that have been successfully treated by HBOT include: Radiation Tissue Damage, Diabetic Lower Extremity Wounds, and Non-healing wounds/Failed Skin Grafts and Flaps. The common denominator in these conditions is hypoxia or lack of oxygen to the tissues. HBOT reduces swelling while flooding the tissue with oxygen. The elevated pressure in the chamber increases the amount of oxygen in the blood and helps deliver oxygen to the oxygen-starved tissues.
For more details about this incident and CO poisonings, continue reading below:
“I was removing a patient from the oxygen chamber when I heard the alarm,” said Eileen Lacy, Hyperbaric Oxygen Technician. “When I checked the panel in the compressor room, I saw it was the carbon monoxide alarm. Our physician assistant (PA), Andrea Moore immediately called Tim James, HOTC’s Safety Director in Medford, Oregon to troubleshoot.”
James initially recommended looking for potential sources of carbon monoxide and troubleshooting to see if the alarm cleared after running the chamber. Lacy opened up the front door to ventilate as the patient exited.
While trying to find the source of the alarm, contractors who were doing remodeling in the neighboring store front were told about the alarm and they asked “What are symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?”
Moore quickly screened for symptoms as CO poisoning must be treated as medical emergency. Its main symptoms are headache, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, weakness, chest pain and confusion. More severe CO poisoning leads to loss of consciousness and death.
Tanner Hargett, an employee with Alpine Abatement Associates explained that four workers were doing asbestos abatement in Suite 220 using a propane-run machine they’d never used indoors in such a small space before.
“We stayed out of the building as much as possible and the next thing we know is a couple of fire trucks pull up and they go right to the Klamath Family Head Start (KFHS) which is two doors down from us in our strip mall,” Andrea Moore said. “First responders evacuated the children to an outdoor playground and parents were called to pick up their children…The carbon monoxide detectors at KFHS were going off…they were detecting some pretty high levels up to 50 parts per million in some of the classrooms and at that time I got really alarmed!”
Carbon monoxide poisoning is caused by exposure to a colorless, odorless gas known as carbon monoxide (CO). CO is found in combustion fumes such as vehicle exhaust, wood stoves, and other fuel burning appliances, smoke from a fire, nonelectric heaters, malfunctioning gas appliances, and faulty heating exhaust systems. CO, known as the silent killer, displaces the oxygen in the bloodstream when the CO is mixed in with normal air you breathe. Everyone is at risk for CO poisoning from these fumes, especially during the winter months when there is poor ventilation indoors.
Moore warned the restaurant owners to the right of HOTC saying, “Hey, we’re having trouble in the mall with carbon monoxide so make sure your fans are running and open the back door to ventilate the place.”
The fire fighter medics checked out the contractors and found several who had high blood pressures and were experiencing headaches. Carbon monoxide levels at the work site were 127 parts per million, which is very, very dangerous.
Tanner Hargett, a contractor who was briefly exposed to the fumes, explained, “We have four floor stripping machines, and today, thanks to alarms in the neighboring school and HOTC, we discovered that one machine, which we’d trailered down from Salem, Oregon, didn’t have a carbon monoxide detector on it. I had to leave to run some errands so I was only exposed for about 10 minutes, unlike the other guys working at the site. When the machine malfunctioned, the site ventilation setup we had in place simply wasn’t adequate to keep us safe.”
Klamath County Fire Department #1 tagged the faulty machine, intended for outdoor use only, for immediate removal from the job site.
As the fire department continued evaluating employees and students for CO poisoning, Andrea Moore, the physician assistant at HOTC, assisted and spoke with the EMTs. Four workers were exposed to high CO levels. After the CO levels in the Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Center dropped, one worker with headache and weakness and another worker with severe headache, palpitations and weakness were treated in the state-of-the-art hyperbaric oxygen chamber.
“All those who were exposed to CO at the Klamath Fall’s Town & Country Shopping Center were treated free-of-charge,” says Dr. Monte Stewart.
Although many people with CO poisoning can be revived without hyperbaric oxygen therapy, long-term damage from CO poisoning can include harm to the central nervous system and the cardiovascular system. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy research has shown that it can treat many conditions that involve oxygen-starved tissues. Several studies have shown that under certain conditions, hyperbaric oxygen therapy can cut the risk for brain injury and nerve damage. And relief of minor symptoms is more immediate.
Through this unexpected incident, the new Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Center of Southern Oregon in Klamath Falls had the privilege of being able to immediately provide the best recommended treatment of choice for carbon monoxide poisoning.
Yesterday was an important reminder to check and make sure we all having working CO detectors in our homes and work places.
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Several Lincoln Fire & Rescue crews responded to a gas leak at the Kindler Hotel on Tuesday.
Crews were sent to the hotel near 11th and P streets around 3:20 p.m. on a fire alarm call.
LFR Battalion Chief Jeremy Gegg said it turned out to be a gas leak, and a couple of rooms had high levels of carbon monoxide.
People were evacuated, and firefighters went through the hotel and the adjacent Misty’s Steakhouse to find the source of the gas leak.
Eventually, crews found that two water heaters were malfunctioning, and they started ventilating the hotel.
Gegg said the carbon monoxide level was as high as 70 parts per million, which is dangerously high.
He said it’s a good reminder that as we go into the cooler months, it’s important to check your appliances.
“Really, the best thing to do is just work with a heating and air contractor to have them thoroughly check your furnace before the heating season,” Gegg said.
And if you think something is off, always call your local fire department.
“Even if you feel fine and you might think that the carbon monoxide detector is just malfunctioning, there is definitely a likelihood that it’s doing its job,” Gegg said.
“I just knew I had to someone call 911. So, I actually used our Alexa in the bedroom to call, and then was able to grab a phone off the bed by crawling over to it,” she recalled.
Unbeknownst to her and her family at the time, they were being poisoned by carbon monoxide and it was coming from their pool’s heater.”
MADISON, Wis. — The second time was the charm for first responders searching for the cause of elevated carbon monoxide readings at a multi-unit home in Madison early Monday morning.
Firefighters responded to a report of a carbon monoxide alarm sounding at the home in the 900 block of East Johnson Street around 2 a.m. A resident told firefighters the alarm had been sounding for roughly two hours; another resident reported mild symptoms possibly indicating carbon monoxide exposure, according to a Madison Fire Department incident report.
Firefighters traced the highest concentration of carbon monoxide to a rear living area but were unable to identify a source after ruling out nearby vehicles, appliances and a fire pit.
After ventilating the building, firefighters told the residents to call 911 if the alarm sounded again — which it did around an hour and 45 minutes after the first call. One of the occupants reported a wall near the elevated carbon monoxide levels was warm to the touch.
When firefighters returned, they used a thermal imaging camera to identify heat signatures on the wall, the report said. After removing the siding from the outside of the wall, they found smoldering insulation and charred studs near degraded electrical conduits.
MG&E shut off power to the building and property management was alerted to the issue.
MCPHERSON COUNTY, Kan. (KWCH) –Family said a Wichita area man is grieving after his pregnant wife and two of his sons died from what the family said was carbon monoxide poisoning. Now, community members are stepping up to help Jason Richey and his surviving 3-year-old son. Felicia Richey and her two older sons, Tison and Bentley, were found dead Saturday inside a camper near the Inman Motocross track.
“The affected students and adult had been in a classroom closest to an outside construction site on the school property. While heavy machinery was running outside, air conditioning was running inside the building, pulling outside air in…It’s likely that the carbon monoxide came from the operation of the heavy equipment.”
SANTA CRUZ — A local hotel’s guests were rushed to an area hospital late Saturday night for treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning, authorities said.
Responding to a report of occupants in medical distress shortly after 11 p.m. at the Ocean Street business, Santa Cruz firefighters investigated what they quickly believed was a gas leak after encountering two individuals suffering acute carbon monoxide poisoning, according to a department release.
With the help of gas monitoring equipment, firefighters discovered carbon monoxide had been leaking into an unoccupied hotel mechanical room and spreading to the building’s east wing. Firefighters woke up several hotel guests, evacuated 14 rooms and temporarily displaced 25 people. Varying levels of carbon monoxide were present in the affected rooms, according to the agency.
The leak’s source was traced to a faulty ventilation system attached to a bank of hot water heaters. Firefighters ventilated the affected areas before returning the building over to its owner.
Patricia and David Ivie (photo courtesy of Buck Ivie)
On August 23, 2017, they left their home near Fort Worth and traveled to the Texas panhandle region for a family event. They checked into a Best Western in the town of Perryton and settled into Room 217, likely anticipating a normal, routine overnight hotel stay. However, this hotel stay would be far from normal or routine – and, within four months, their stay would cost both of them their lives…
Campbellsville Fire-Rescue was dispatched to a report of a carbon monoxide incident on a house boat on Green River Lake in a remote area. Upon arrival, firefighters found a pontoon boat inbound to the state marina with 9 patients on board with all experiencing carbon monoxide symptoms. 9 patients were triaged by emergency personnel. 2 patients was transported via medic unit and 7 patients was transported to TRH via personal vehicles with non-life threating injuries. This family was able to recognize the symptoms of CO poisoning and called 911 immediately. Firefighters conducted air monitoring and found elevated levels of carbon monoxide in the houseboat.
With cooler nights approaching we want to remind everyone about carbon monoxide safety. You can’t see it, taste it or smell it, but low levels of carbon monoxide can make you sick, and high levels can kill you. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless gas that can escape from any fuel-burning appliance, such as gas furnaces, generators, water heaters, stoves, fireplaces, wood stoves, chimneys or space heaters. It can also be created by an automobile idling in a closed or attached garage. Carbon monoxide incidents can even happen in houseboats. All homes with fuel burning appliances need a working CO alarm. As a reminder, the symptoms of CO poisoning are dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms.
“…the leak was identified after some residents of Barger-Zartman Residence Hall said they were experiencing symptoms aligned with increasing levels of carbon (monoxide). The leak was later confirmed in the boiler room of the building.”
Followup on the death of hotel maintenance worker last November at the Victory Inn & Suites in Ann Arbor, Michigan –
“This death was 100% preventable.”
“A willful designation was used for two of the fatality-related violations due to the employer’s history of noncompliance with state and municipal fire, boiler and building codes. The employer’s knowledge of the worker’s inexperience with boiler-type heating systems also shows the employer’s plain indifference to employee health and safety and MIOSHA rules.”
“The department was called to the Walmart for the same situation a month ago, according to Chief Willson…‘What they’re doing is renovating the store at this time.’ said Fire Chief Wilson. ‘They’re using machinery without proper ventilation. Therefore, that’s where the carbon monoxide came from.’”
Despite local law enforcement saying the investigation was complete, NCIS told Military.com it “continues to work closely with the Pender County Sheriff’s Office to fully investigate this matter.”
“The children of Gail Amundsen and Murray Church have filed a lawsuit against Whatcom County and several companies alleging negligence resulting in the wrongful deaths of the couple due to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.”
“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.”
“Three U.S. Marines found unresponsive in a car at a North Carolina gas station died of carbon monoxide poisoning, the local sheriff’s office said Wednesday.
Deputies from the Pender County Sheriff’s Office found the three men Sunday morning in a privately owned Lexus sedan parked outside a Speedway gas station in the coastal community of Hampstead. Autopsies performed Wednesday by the North Carolina medical examiner’s office determined that all three deaths were the result of carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the sheriff’s office.”
Dick Cummings and Max Kipfer two months after Max’s CO poisoning. Max has saved Dick’s pivotal voicemail on his cell phone: “Max, it’s Dick. We’re breaking down your door.” (photo courtesy of Max Kipfer)
“Firefighters determined a faulty propane-powered floor cleaner was the source of the gas. When turned on, the machine emitted carbon monoxide levels at 1400 parts per million. The U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standards for outdoor air is 9 parts per million. Average homes are between 0.5 and 5 parts per million.”
No information on source of CO or if CO detection is installed.
Sumter County, FL –
“Over 500 people, including staff members and prisoners were evacuated at USP Coleman due to a carbon monoxide leak Sunday morning, Sumter County emergency officials said.
According to Sumter County’s emergency management director, 13 people had to seek treatment and 6 went to the hospital…”
“At 12:29 p.m. the Wilmington Fire Department was alerted of a carbon monoxide alarm…”
“Responding units found carbon monoxide readings over 500 parts per million (ppm) in the structure…cause of the carbon monoxide was found to be a gas-powered pressure washer being operated in the basement.”
CRFD and CRPD Respond to Possible Carbon Monoxide Leaks at Motel 6 on SW side –
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(July 08, 2023 – 3:10p.m.)
Cedar Rapids, IA –
Cedar Rapids Police and Cedar Rapids Firefighters responded to multiple calls for service regarding potential gas or vapor exposure at Motel 6 – 616 33rd Ave SW on Saturday. The first call came at 10:14a.m., the second at 1:44p.m.
The first call ended when utility crews indicated they had secured what they believed to be the source of the exposure and rectified the issue. A few hours later, guests at the hotel began complaining of symptoms in-line with gas exposure and the fire department was called again to respond. At this point, firefighters evacuated the building and began a room-by-room search ensuring all residents were safely moved. Other fire crews searched for the source of the leak and ventilated the building. Utility crews – at the time of the posting – are working to locate the source of the exposure and mitigate the issue. At this time, it is not known now how long guests will be displaced.
One patient was evaluated by Area Ambulance crews but did not require further treatment or transport to medical care. No firefighter injuries are reported in this event.
The cause of the exposure is still under investigation.
“A clogged lint trap was discovered in a dryer in the building’s laundry room, which was blocking carbon monoxide produced by the machine from leaving through the exhaust pipe and instead was leaking into the laundry room.”
“At the 2021 Faster Horses festival, five country fans went to sleep in their trailer after a day of concerts — only two woke up. Inside one of many tragedies at country music’s deadly fest…”
A feel good success story from one of our programs and the importance of properly working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms (long post, but please read it all if you have time)…
On Friday night our crews were dispatched to a home in the area of Lafayette Street for smoke/carbon monoxide alarms sounding. They were met by an elderly resident who said she went to bed and was awoken by the alarms. Crews entered the residence with our explosive gas meter (this meter detects levels of oxygen, explosive gas, carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen sulfide). They immediately got readings of carbon monoxide and lowered levels of oxygen in the home. Crews backed out and donned SCBA’s. Readings of carbon monoxide in the home were around 600 parts per million (it should be 0, acceptable levels are below 9 parts per million in a home). Carbon monoxide is a poisonous, order less, colorless byproduct of combustion. After a thorough investigation, it was found that the resident mistakenly left her car running in a closed garage, likely for at least 4 hours. Liberty utilities was called to the scene as a precaution, extra firefighters were called into the station due to extensive time on scene, and the home was vented with a battery powered ppv fan until there were 0 parts per million of carbon monoxide in the home. The resident was transported by our rescue to a local hospital because of slight confusion and having detectable levels of carbon monoxide in there system. If the resident had not been alerted by the properly working smoke/carbon monoxide alarms they would have passed away within hours (likely an hour).
We have a program called “Somerset Cares”. In this program we go out to Somerset homes to do safety assessments and install smoke/carbon monoxide alarms. We recently went to this home for the “Somerset Cares” program and installed the smoke/carbon monoxide alarms that saved the residents life! A testament to the success in one of the many programs we offer and the importance of properly working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms!
“Jones said when he and his fellow firefighters finally caught up with the calls, he was able to run to his house that evening to turn his generator on for his family…”
“…a power generator was operating overnight inside one of the units. The manager of the apartment complex told ABC13’s Charly Edsitty that the power was out at the complex due to Wednesday’s storms…He also said the units do not have carbon monoxide detectors. They are not required because all of the stoves are electric at the complex.”
“…there were about five to six postal clerks inside the RW Jenkins Post Office early Wednesday morning while a generator was running inside the building.”
“You worry about things like a car accident. You know, drinking and driving, something like that. You don’t think about your child going to their friend’s house and dying of carbon monoxide poisoning…”
Jodi Semonell says her son 19-year-old Cole Oban was at a friend, Thomas Coleman’s house, when both boys died along with Thomas’ dad David Coleman and their family dog.
After the second call “…(building inspector) orders shut down all mechanical equipment, including hot water and gas stoves…his department is awaiting an engineer’s report on the source of the problem before further action is taken.”
Excellent article on the long term physical effects of CO exposure centered around this recent poisoning incident in Utah.
“…(he) had gotten very sick over the course of the day, then woke up in the middle of the night with severe thirst. When he tried to get out of bed, his entire left side had gone completely numb…
‘Brenden fell and hit his head on a dresser, then tumbled down the stairs to the bathroom, and that’s where they found him…’
The source of the fumes was a new heater for the outdoor swimming pool, which had just been hooked up and was kept in the garage below the room where (he) was living.”
According to the news video, one tenant’s CO alarm registered CO levels of over 900ppm in their apartment.
“One neighbor showed News 12 that soot from a chimney outside his apartment leaked through his electrical outlet and a crack in his ceiling. They also say this is now the third time they’ve called the fire department and that their calls to building management have gone unanswered.”
“…roughly 26 employees were exposed to carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide used to preserve meat products…’Some of the employees were having difficulty breathing, and some were falling unconscious…’
Containers used to store the gasses reportedly leaked and caused the exposure.”
“According to Juneau County Sheriff’s Office’s initial statement, deputies went to the cabin, in Armenia Township, around 5 p.m. on Monday, March 27, after getting two calls asking them to check on the individuals there. Upon arrival, they discovered two people, neither of whom appeared to be breathing.”
“…EMS workers responded to 93 North Main Street in Windsor on March 15, 2023 for a person believed to be having a stroke. When the ambulance crew entered the structure “A40 single gas CO monitor began to alarm.” Warning the ambulance crew of carbon monoxide present.”
This is the first story in the series “Air We Can’t Grasp: The Insidious Matter of Carbon Monoxide.”
“During the winter, the two-family house I share with my mother sometimes gets so cold that I need a portable heater to stay warm. These days I use an electrical one. When I was a child, my family would turn the oven on to use it as a source of heat.
Now I’m aware that using a gas oven to keep warm can put tenants at risk for carbon monoxide. That made me wonder, how many people know the risks they face in their own homes from CO poisoning?”
“One was laying on the floor pretty much unconscious at that point, and then one more, kind of in the seats slumped over…Not really talking or moving.”
“CenterPoint Energy issued its response this week to a state report that found the company committed probable violations related to carbon monoxide issues in Southern Indiana in December.”
“Carbon monoxide detectors are currently not required for child care centers in Pennsylvania, despite repeated efforts by state legislators to change that. State Rep. Jeanne McNeill, D-Lehigh County, last year sponsored a bill for the requirement, but it languished in committee. On Friday, McNeill announced she was reintroducing her legislation, which would require one or more alarms in buildings that house child care facilities with possible sources of carbon monoxide.”
“…fire departments were called to Cedar Creek Cinema on Sunday after several people fell ill and passed out after leaving the theater…When they got there, they treated five people for suspected carbon monoxide, or CO, poisoning; four of those people then were taken to an area hospital… In theater No. 1, they found levels of 683 parts per million…Officials traced the CO leak to a faulty HVAC system”
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