Crews responded to the incident at about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Comfort Suites on 6551 Metro Court.
Carbon monoxide scare prompts Danville, Indiana, high school evacuation
‘We were so close to dying’: Families sue over carbon monoxide leak at Mesa hotel
Julius West Middle School evacuated due to carbon monoxide leak
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Officials said Julius West Middle School in Rockville was evacuated following a carbon monoxide leak on Monday.
In a post on the X platform, Pete Piringer with the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services said crews were called to the middle school on Great Falls Road around 11:30 a.m. for a carbon monoxide alarm.
Piringer said crews were monitoring the CO levels. The leak was possibly coming from the boiler room.
As of Monday afternoon, there were no reported injuries or illnesses.
Piringer said an early dismissal plan was being organized for students.
Julius West Middle School evacuated due to carbon monoxide leak | DC News Now
State settles with family of Evergreen State College student who died of carbon monoxide poisoning
Olympia, WA –
The state has agreed to pay a $25 million settlement to the family of Jonathan Rodriguez, The Evergreen State College student who died of carbon monoxide poisoning in December of 2023.
The college and state Attorney General’s Office confirmed the settlement payout to KING 5.
On December 11, 2023, Rodriguez, 21, and two other students were found unconscious in a modular housing unit. Rodriguez died, while the other two students survived.
A campus police officer was also sent the hospital and survived.
Investigators blamed faulty installation of a tankless water heater in the housing a week before the poisonings. They also said that despite alarms repeatedly going off, campus maintenance crews failed to recognize there was a carbon monoxide leak.
One of the students hospitalized due to the leak – Rodriguez’ girlfriend – told investigators that maintenance crews had told her it was OK to return to her unit despite the sounding of a carbon monoxide alarm. Within hours Rodriguez was dead and his girlfriend and roommate were hospitalized.
According to Thurston County prosecutors, Frank McCutcheon, 53, and his son Brett McCutcheon, 32, did not properly follow instructions when installing the unit by failing to properly connect exhaust pipes, allowing for the leak of the colorless, odorless, deadly carbon monoxide.
They were charged July 11 with manslaughter in the second degree, with prosecutors alleging that their negligent actions caused Rodriguez’ death. An investigator said their actions were a “gross deviation” from what reasonable people would have done.
The McCutcheons entered not guilty pleas to the charge and face a trial in November.
The college has made several changes since the incident.
“Since the tragedy in December, Evergreen immediately stopped using housing units that used propane for heat or hot water, ensuring a tragedy like that which took the life of Jonathan Rodriguez never happens again,” Dr. John Carmichael, president of The Evergreen State College, said in a previous statement.
New housing units will also open for students when school resumes Sept. 30.
KING 5 reached out to Rodriguez’ family for comment and their attorney said they are grieving the loss of their son and are asking for privacy.
Two service technicians who installed the tankless water heater — Frank “Chuck” McCutcheon, then 53, and his son, Brett McCutcheon, then 32 — pleaded not guilty to second-degree manslaughter charges after Thurston County prosecutors accused them in September of negligently causing Rodriguez’s death by improperly installing the appliance.
Frank McCutcheon’s defense attorney, Eric Pilon, said the Dec. 4 installation was done properly, but something happened during the week after causing the heater’s interior pipe fitting to get pulled out or separation from the exterior exhaust pipe.
The father and son are scheduled to go to trial in November, Thurston County Superior Court records show.
WA to pay $25 million in Evergreen student’s carbon monoxide death | The Seattle Times
North Laredo Comfort Suites evacuated for second time in a week after carbon monoxide alarm triggers
Laredo, TX –
A hotel in North Laredo was evacuated on Monday morning, September 16, after the carbon monoxide alarm was triggered. The Comfort Suites on Metro Court began the evacuation around 9 a.m.
According to the Laredo Fire Department, staff reported that the carbon monoxide alarm was activated. The building was evacuated, and there are no reports of injuries at this time. The fire department is currently investigating the situation.
Witnesses said several people fainted, and one was taken away on a gurney. Witnesses also said the hotel had limited staff and was quickly moving guests out of the building.
Authorities are still on the scene, and the investigation is ongoing.
This incident follows a similar evacuation in the same location last week due to a carbon monoxide leak.
Laredo hotel evacuated due to ‘carbon monoxide hazmat situation’
LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) – The Amerik Suites Hotel on Calle del Norte and Metro Court has been evacuated following a carbon monoxide hazmat situation, according to the Laredo Police Department.
The alert came at around 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday. First responders are on the scene assessing the extent of the carbon monoxide exposure.
Guests and workers report limited information, noting only that there’s a gas leak. Firefighters are on the scene and will be working for some time, according to those at the scene. First responders were seen removing belongings from their units as they work to handle the situation.
Further updates will be provided as the situation develops.
Amerik Suites Hotel evacuated due to ‘carbon monoxide hazmat situation’ (kgns.tv)
Three hospitalized after hazmat situation at local hotel
Sep 12, 2024
Three people were taken to the hospital following a hazmat situation at a local hotel, according to the Laredo Fire Department.
Initially this was reported as a medical call. Crews later upgraded the call to a hazmat incident.
First responders evacuated 13 rooms and eight employees. The three people taken to the Laredo Medical Center were in stable condition.
First responders said that the lobby area, elevator area, riser/boiler mechanical room, and upper floors all had high levels of carbon monoxide and natural gas.
Crews shut off the gas service to the property. Fire department suppression crews remained on scene to ventilate the building until gas levels were safe, according to reports.
How to Tell if Your Home Has Gas Appliances
Not sure if your home/business has gas appliances? This video has some helpful tips
How to Tell if Your Home Has Gas Appliances – YouTube
Broward County to install carbon monoxide detectors in over 230 schools after reported gas leaks
Florida –
Evergreen State College (WA): Second contractor pleads not guilty in student’s carbon monoxide death
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Prosecutors have criminally charged a second contractor following the carbon monoxide poisoning death of a 21-year-old student from The Evergreen State College.
On December 11, 2023, Jonathan Rodriguez and two other students were found unconscious in a modular housing unit.
Rodriguez died, while the other two students survived. A campus police officer was also sent the hospital, but survived.
Investigators blamed the faulty installation of a tankless water heater in the housing a week before the poisonings.
According to Thurston County Prosecutors, Frank McCutcheon, 53, and his son Brett McCutcheon, 32, did not properly follow the manual instructions when installing the unit by failing to properly connect exhaust pipes, allowing for the leak of the colorless, odorless, deadly carbon monoxide.
They were both charged July 11 with manslaughter in the second degree, alleging that their negligent actions caused Rodriguez’s death. An investigator said their actions were a “gross deviation” from what reasonable people would have done.
Both McCutcheons entered not guilty pleas to the charge and face a trial in November.
They were not taken into custody, but they cannot speak about the incident to each other, and they have to refrain from installing any devices that generate carbon monoxide.
The college has made several changes since the incident.
“Since the tragedy in December, Evergreen immediately stopped using housing units that used propane for heat or hot water, ensuring a tragedy like that which took the life of Jonathan Rodriguez never happens again,” said Dr. John Carmichael, president of The Evergreen State College.
New housing units will also open for students when school resumes Sept. 30.
Second contractor pleads not guilty in student’s carbon monoxide death | king5.com
Carbon monoxide leak forces evacuations in downtown Kansas City
New ULSE Report: 86 Million Americans Are Unprotected Against Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Key findings in the UL Standards & Engagement report include:
- More than one-third of U.S. homes have no CO detection: One-third (36%) of U.S. adults — 86.2 million individuals — have no means of detecting CO leaks in their homes. Further, many Americans are confused about what counts as detection. Nearly three in ten (29%) U.S. consumers — more than an estimated 69 million Americans — say they do not need (17%) or are unsure (12%) if they need a CO alarm in the home if smoke alarms are present.
- Generator owners do not feel at risk — or know there is one: An estimated 29 million Americans own a portable generator, primarily to deal with power outages in extreme weather. Even though portable generators are responsible for 81% of CO deaths, according to Consumer Product Safety Commission data, the ULSE survey found that 62% said they do not feel that they or their household are at risk of CO exposure or poisoning from their generator, and another 23% of generator owners did not realize that these appliances are a potential source of CO.
- Assumed CO protection in public places: Despite an inconsistent patchwork of requirements and codes across states, Americans are largely not concerned with CO in public settings like churches, daycares, restaurants, and hotels. Half of Americans do not worry about exposure to CO in public spaces because they trust that CO alarms are installed. Nearly half (46%) of travelers do not worry about CO exposure when staying in hotels and rental properties because they assume CO alarms are installed, and another 44% say they believe every state has laws that require alarms.
New Report: 86 Million Americans Are Unprotected Against Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (yahoo.com)
Church Executive: Protecting Parishioners from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
March 4, 2024
By Eric Spacek
Carbon monoxide (CO) is often referred to as the “silent killer.” This colorless, odorless gas is released in the exhaust from fossil fuel burning engines in cars, trucks and other machinery. But, it can also be released from poorly working furnaces or equipment inside your building, which can lead to CO poisoning of anyone in the facility.
The risk of CO poisoning is especially high during the winter, when heating systems are frequently running. Organizations can lessen the risk by having a qualified professional inspect all furnaces, gas stoves and fireplaces annually to ensure they are working properly and have adequate ventilation. This professional should also inspect flue pipes for rust holes, poor connections and blockages.
Other ways to prevent CO poisoning include:
- Install CO alarms — Even equipment that has been regularly checked by a professional can unexpectedly malfunction. When this happens, it’s vital to minimize damage by catching the problem quickly. Organizations should install CO alarms throughout their facility. If people are living in the building, an alarm should be installed in every bedroom. CO detectors should be regularly tested and replaced every five to seven years.
- Never use generators indoors — The exhaust from internal combustion engines contains high levels of CO. If you use gas-burning generators for emergency power during an electrical outage, they should always be placed at least 10 feet away from the building.
- Use kitchen vents whenever the stove is on — Kitchen stoves are the root cause of many CO poisoning cases. To ensure proper ventilation, organizations should always run the exhaust fan when cooking and open a nearby window to allow fresh air to circulate.
- Clean out fireplace flues — If your building has a fireplace, be sure to clean out the flue before every use to prevent it from becoming clogged with soot and debris. A restricted flue can trap carbon monoxide inside a building.
- Don’t leave vehicles idling in a garage or outside for more than a short time — Because vehicle exhaust contains CO, never idle a vehicle near the building’s air input system. If you do, you run the risk of introducing CO into the system and putting everyone in the building in danger.
- Never use gas-powered tools in confined spaces — Like vehicles and generators, gas-powered equipment produces CO from the exhaust. In a tight space, the CO can build up and put the operator in danger of CO poisoning.
Be aware of the warning signs of a CO problem so you can quickly respond and remedy the situation. Signs include:
- Streaks of soot around fuel-burning appliances.
- Excess moisture on windows, walls or other cold surfaces.
- Excessive rust on flue pipes, pipe connections or appliance jacks.
- Orange or yellow flames (rather than the proper blue color) in the combustion appliances.
- Small amounts of water leaking from the base of the chimney vent or flue pipe.
- Damaged or discolored bricks at the top of the chimney.
Of course, it’s most important to protect the people in your building if a problem is detected. Know the signs of CO poisoning, which include:
- Flu-like symptoms.
- Tightness across the chest.
- Shortness of breath.
Keep in mind, any organization that maintains a building has an obligation to protect those inside the facility from CO poisoning — if it doesn’t, the negligence can lead to major injuries and costly lawsuits. By taking every precaution, however, you may have a viable defense in court.
Protecting Parishioners from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning – Church Executive
Tennessee Senate passes bill requiring carbon monoxide monitors in all childcare facilities
“A bill from Sen. Paul Bailey (R-Sparta) and Rep. Darren Jernigan (D-Nashville) would require carbon monoxide monitors to be installed in every room where children are cared for in licensed childcare agencies. The installation would necessitate the carbon monoxide alarm be listed according to the International Building Code and the International Fire Code.”
TN Senate passes bill requiring carbon monoxide monitors in all childcare facilities (wkrn.com)
Cal/OSHA investigating death at North Bay grocery store
“…firefighters responded to a call for a medical emergency at the market at 8:14 p.m. on Feb. 22 and detected carbon monoxide inside the building…carbon monoxide is suspected in the man’s death and also in causing a first responder to pass out…”
Cal/OSHA investigating death at North Bay grocery store (sfchronicle.com)
State of NC investigating after complaints of elevated carbon monoxide in Durham County Human Services building
Deadwood rec member spent days in hospital after severe carbon monoxide poisoning
South Dakota —
At least one member of the Deadwood Recreation Center was hospitalized for several days due to carbon monoxide poisoning that was the result of a gas leak on Thursday.
Hilary White said she smelled gas when she walked into the weight room in the basement of the rec center for her normal workout. She didn’t think anything of it, until she started to feel sluggish and disoriented. Then, another man who was exercising at the same time asked if she felt sick like he did, and he suggested that they both get out of the building.
Oklahoma woman survives CO poisoning, warns others
Sammi Baldwin said last month while cleaning an office space, she was overcome with carbon monoxide but didn’t realize it until it was almost too late. She is sharing her story of survival.
Monday, February 12th 2024, 5:41 pm
During the winter months, carbon monoxide poisoning calls go up. This year, EMSA so far, has responded to 17 carbon monoxide calls in the metro with four people transported to the hospital. One woman, who narrowly survived is sharing her story of survival.
Sammi Baldwin said last month while cleaning an office space, she was overcome with carbon monoxide but didn’t realize it until it was almost too late. “I just knew I was crawling for my life,” Baldwin said.
Listening to the 911 call from January 12, Baldwin says she knows she’s lucky to be alive. On the call, you can hear her gasping and choking for air. “I mean I was seconds away from not being here,” she said. “I could not get any air.”
Baldwin says she was cleaning for several hours when she had a headache and became dizzy. Thinking her blood sugar was low, she said she ate a piece of chocolate, but the symptoms worsened. “I got to the doorway and my legs went numb they went completely paralyzed, I collapsed right at the door,” Baldwin said.
She managed to call 911. “It was the generators during the ice storms, so we had generators going and there was, unfortunately, no airflow,” she said.
According to EMSA, the calls are more prevalent during the winter because people are using more heating sources like generators and space heaters. “It’s very quick, very lethal,” said Colin Roy, district chief with EMSA. “It can kill you pretty quick, most people will find themselves unresponsive before they even realize there’s a poisoning atmosphere that they’re in.”
Roy says the gas sneaks up on you because it’s odorless, colorless, and tasteless. “Oxygen really doesn’t stand a chance against carbon monoxide when it comes to getting on to those red blood cells and passing around the blood to our bodies,” Roy said. “So, their entire body is starting to shut down and the respiratory track is trying to keep up to keep more oxygen going but really they’re just breathing in more carbon monoxide.”
What helped Baldwin was crawling to the door, but she still struggled. “I knew I was dying,” she said. “I was okay with that, I wasn’t angry or upset, I was just really sad I couldn’t say goodbye to my husband or kids.”
Baldwin didn’t have to, she survived when paramedics arrived in time. Now, she wants to warn others. “The fact that I’m still here and I shouldn’t be, I know that it was God,” she said. “Life is way too short and it’s very precious, I think people take it for granted, wake up and think they’re going to be here, you don’t know, you never know.”
EMSA says anything that combusts a fuel is going to put out carbon monoxide, even wood-burning fireplaces. So, if you have symptoms of dizziness, headache, trouble breathing, nausea, or vomiting, get outside and call 911.
EMSA also stresses that every home and business should have carbon monoxide detectors. They’re available at any hardware store, and many models cost less than $15 or $20.
Oklahoma Woman Survives Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, Warns Others (newson6.com)
Deadwood rec center employees, patrons treated for carbon monoxide exposure
Carbon monoxide issues prompt Saturday closure at Holiday Twin Rinks
Lansing apartment building evacuated for dangerous CO levels
Dept of Energy: Enforcement Letter, Idaho Environmental Coalition, LLC
February 2024,
Related to uncontrolled exposure to potentially dangerous levels of carbon monoxide at the Idaho Cleanup Project.
On January 31, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Enterprise Assessments, Office of Enforcement issued Enforcement Letter (WEL-2024-02) to Idaho Environmental Coalition, LLC for deficiencies in implementing DOE’s 10 C.F.R. Part 851 Worker Safety and Health Program requirements related to uncontrolled exposure to potentially dangerous levels of carbon monoxide at the Idaho Cleanup Project.
Enforcement Letter, Idaho Environmental Coalition, LLC | Department of Energy
“The event occurred on January 10, 2023, when workers were operating a
gasoline-powered welder generator inside the NRF-601 high bay. Earlier in the
day, IEC approved a work order change (WOC) for work order number 597489 to
move the generator from outdoors to inside the high bay. The WOC included a
warning that the generator produced harmful emissions that constituted a
respiratory hazard. In response to the WOC, workers established a safety
boundary around the generator, inserted a flex pipe into the exhaust stack, and
passed the flex pipe through the wall of the building to the outside…
…IEC did not report the CO exposure on the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration Form 300 or in the DOE Computerized Accident Incident
Reporting System database due to a misinterpretation of occupational exposure
reporting requirements.”
Evergreen State College board approves spending up to $1 million to address costs tied to student death
Bismarck woman reports multiple CO issues at Boulevard Avenue Apartments; the complex denies her claims
Parents express concern about sending students back to school after carbon monoxide exposures
The school went virtual for two days following multiple reported carbon monoxide exposures on campus last week. Officials said all of the school’s carbon monoxide detectors will be tested while students are at home…It looks great on paper, there’s nothing there, everything’s testing 0, but three days, people have tested for CO poisoning…”
Canyon View Middle School to hold remote learning days for carbon monoxide testing
CEDAR CITY, Utah (KUTV) —
Canyon View Middle School will hold remote learning this week while the building is tested for carbon monoxide, days after it was evacuated due to suspected exposure.
Canyon View Middle School to hold remote learning days for carbon monoxide testing (kutv.com)
One Person Hospitalized from carbon monoxide at Holiday Inn in Spencer, Iowa
SPENCER, IA (KTIV) – One person was hospitalized after Spencer Fire Rescue were called to the Holiday Inn in Spencer, IA because of high carbon monoxide levels Saturday.
According to Spencer Fire Rescue, they were called Saturday night to assist Black Hills Energy. Five customers had to be evacuated.
A faulty heating system was identified as the potential problem according to authorities.
One Person Hospitalized from carbon monoxide at Spencer Holiday Inn (ktiv.com)
Mother on Fort Thomas church youth group retreat dies, second woman in hospital
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.
Mother dies on Grace Fellowship Church retreat to Bluegrass Palace (cincinnati.com)
https://www.fox19.com/2024/01/17/church-mourns-mother-who-died-youth-group-retreat/
14 people in New Haven hospitalized with carbon monoxide poisoning
Connecticut –
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.
14 people in New Haven hospitalized with carbon monoxide poisoning (wtnh.com)
Family files lawsuit over alleged carbon-monoxide poisoning at Sun Valley Resort
Sun Valley, Idaho –
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.
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
Family files lawsuit over alleged carbon-monoxide poisoning | Cops/Courts | mtexpress.com
Family of 5 hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning at SE Portland apartments
Oregon –
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.”
Family of 5 hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning at SE Portland apartments (kptv.com)
Southern Colorado students evacuated and treated for carbon monoxide
Several children treated for carbon monoxide following leak at Nashville daycare
Local Smith’s evacuated for carbon monoxide leak by firefighters shopping for groceries
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.”
Local Smith’s evacuated for carbon monoxide leak by firefighters shopping for groceries (ksltv.com)
Carbon monoxide leak prompts evacuation at Exeter Township Burger King

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Clears Barn at Chicken Farm
Delaware student’s Apple Watch saves her life after she passes out from carbon monoxide poisoning
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.
The CDC has more information on how to buy and install carbon monoxide detectors.
Nearly 50 people treated for carbon monoxide poisoning after leak in LDS meetinghouse
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.
Nearly 50 people treated for carbon monoxide poisoning after leak in LDS meetinghouse (sltrib.com)
Sevier County church remains closed after dozens treated for carbon monoxide poisoning | KUTV
Utah church where 54 fell sick wasn’t required to have carbon monoxide detector (sltrib.com)
Carbon monoxide build-up at Cheektowaga ice rink led to dozens seeking treatment
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.
‘Woman’s Head Fell On Table’ At Hinsdale Golf Club
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.
‘Woman’s Head Fell On Table’ At Hinsdale Golf Club | Hinsdale, IL Patch
ABC World News Tonight: 1 college student dead in Washington, 2 injured in suspected carbon monoxide poisoning
Olympia, WA –
“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.”
1 dead, 3 injured after suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at Evergreen State College
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.”
Four women got carbon monoxide poisoning — from a hookah. Now, they’re warning others.
“A study that analyzed 265 patients referred to just one hyperbaric oxygen therapy center for CO poisoning from 2015 to 2018 found that 22% (58 people) were associated with hookah, and that hookah-associated cases increased year after year. In the last two years of the study period, hookah was the most frequent source of CO poisoning.”
Can hookah cause carbon monoxide poisoning? These women learned the hard way. (usatoday.com)
Hood College students exposed to carbon monoxide after boiler malfunction
Frederick, Maryland –
“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.
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.
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 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.
Protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning on vacation
When making vacation plans, most travelers include a safety plan to protect themselves against things like being stranded or getting mugged. Very few consider the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning in their hotel or Airbnb. There is an easy way to protect you and your loved ones from the hidden danger.
The past 20 years have seen more than 1,000 injuries from carbon monoxide leaks in U.S. hotels, with 32 people, including seven children, dying – that’s according to the non-profit Jenkins Foundation, which tracks carbon monoxide incidents at hotels. While smoke alarms are normally required in every hotel room by law, there is no such law for carbon monoxide detectors, nor are they required by Airbnb, which has seen 10 carbon monoxide deaths in Chile and Mexico in the past five years. What makes the gas so dangerous is that it’s odorless and colorless. The most common causes of carbon monoxide poisoning in hotels are boilers and heaters used to warm swimming pools and water for an entire wing, according to Dr. Lindell Weaver, who specializes in carbon monoxide poisoning. “Carbon monoxide can go through drywall very easily,” Dr. Weaver said. “It can move through crevices and little holes. So, indeed, people often have been poisoned, sometimes quite a distance, remote, from the poisoning or carbon monoxide source.”
Dr. Weaver encourages travelers to buy a portable carbon monoxide alarm. They cost anywhere from $30 to $100, they’re small, and they don’t take up much room in your luggage. Packing at least one will protect you and your loved ones from the dangers of this deadly gas.
It’s crucial to seek medical treatment as soon as you start feeling sick. If you’re staying at a hotel or resort, there may be a nurse or medical professional on staff who can assess your condition.
Protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning on vacation (kplctv.com)
Wake Veterinary Hospital & Urgent Care evacuated due to carbon monoxide scare
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.
Wake Veterinary Hospital & Urgent Care evacuated due to carbon monoxide scare – ABC11 Raleigh-Durham
Taco Bell employees in Liberty worried after carbon monoxide scare
LIBERTY, Mo. (KCTV) – One person was sent to the hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning after a scare Sunday morning at a Taco Bell in Liberty. Two other people were treated for CO poisoning, but they did not require a trip to the hospital.
It happened at the Taco Bell between Elizabeth Street and Orchard Avenue off 291-Highway. Liberty FD said the carbon monoxide levels were considered dangerous.
“I was told we were standing in fatal amounts of carbon monoxide,” said Drew Wilmeth, who is the opening shift lead at the Taco Bell location. “I was told that 500 [parts per million] is fatal in minutes, and we were standing in 285.”
An employee reached out to the fire department Sunday morning after staff members had complained of symptoms over their last two shifts. When Liberty FD arrived on scene and started measuring the carbon monoxide levels, they told the restaurant employees to leave immediately.
“The levels were in the mid-200′s [parts per million],” said Liberty Assistant Fire Chief, Christopher Young. “That’s unsafe.”
“Once they got near the fryer and the cooking stuff in the back, they immediately were like ‘Get out, now. Just get out. Leave,” said Wilmeth. “We all quickly jumped up and ran out.”
According to industry experts (Carbon Monoxide Levels | Kidde), people will start to feel headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and nausea when carbon monoxide is at 200 PPM. Closer to 400, it can become deadly after three hours.
“There wasn’t a person at work who didn’t complain about their eyes burning, or having a headache, or feeling nauseous, or anything like that,” said Wilmeth.
Liberty fire says the culprit for the dangerously high carbon monoxide level was a faulty ventilation fan that has since been repaired.
“They had their maintenance crews, Taco Bell maintenance crews, come out,” said Young. “They remedied the problem. Since then, all the levels are down to an acceptable level.”
While the issue is fixed, the Taco Bell employee who spoke to KCTV5 wants to see systems in place to prevent Sunday’s scene from happening again.
“I would think if there was a significant carbon monoxide problem at a place of business, that there would be detectors in level that are that bad for us,” Wilmeth said.
The Taco Bell location remained closed on Sunday night. It is scheduled to reopen on Monday morning.
Taco Bell employees in Liberty worried after carbon monoxide scare (kctv5.com)
Engine 8 Discovers Carbon Monoxide, Natural Gas Issue While on EMS Call
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.
Building Safety Standards: Laying the Foundations with the International Code Council
“A safe work environment is essential to running a business safely. The International Code Council is a collection of professionals who set building safety standards: building design, regulations, how to measure structural integrity. What do these standards do for today’s employees and customers? Why is building maintenance so vital to a successful business?
…In the midst of codes and regulations, the council still encounters common building safety issues. The first is detection and access control systems. For example, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors or building alarms. These essential systems notify people when there is an issue that requires them to evacuate or shelter in place. “Those are critical parts of the life safety systems of most buildings…”
Developing Building Safety Codes with International Code Council (mem-ins.com)
Children evacuated from Draper daycare for high carbon monoxide levels
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.
Children evacuated from Draper daycare for high carbon monoxide levels (fox13now.com)
Teens at Sask. hockey tournament fall ill after carbon monoxide leak
Faulty ice-cleaning machine blamed for carbon monoxide poisoning at Sask. hockey tournament
Agreement struck in fatal carbon monoxide poisoning; $2 million settlement
Chainsaw being used inside building leads to high level CO exposure
Pennsylvania –
Berks Weekly
600 rooms checked due to CO leak at Kahler Grand Hotel in Rochester
Carbon Monoxide leak reported at Kahler Grand Hotel in Rochester – ABC 6 News – kaaltv.com
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.
https://krocnews.com/600-rooms-checked-due-to-co-leak-at-kahler-grand-in-rochester/
CO causes death of two elderly adults in apartment building

Rochester woman gives CPR to girl suffering from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at hotel
Fire officials stress importance of quick response to carbon monoxide incident at Rochester hotel
Family speaks out after La Quinta carbon monoxide incident
Woman’s carbon monoxide alarm helps save Clayton high-rise
Southampton Red Rock Plaza Workers Hospitalized after Carbon Monoxide Exposure Event
CO alarm in neighboring apartment alerts to 3 unconscious victims
Building evacuated at Mesa hotel following hazardous CO leak
13 hospitalized as Bronx apartment building fills with carbon monoxide, FDNY says
Bronx, NY –
“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”
Bronx apartments fill with carbon monoxide; 13 to hospital: FDNY (nydailynews.com)
Carbon Monoxide Fumes Lead to the Evacuation of Head Start Students & Teachers
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 a detailed list of conditions treated by HBOT, visit: https://oregonhbot.com/conditions/
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.
https://oregonhbot.com/carbon-monoxide-fumes-lead-to-the-evacuation-of-head-start-students-teachers/
Kindler Hotel in downtown Lincoln evacuated due to carbon monoxide leak
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.
Kindler Hotel in downtown Lincoln evacuated due to carbon monoxide leak (klkntv.com)
Carbon monoxide exposure at Vermont school prompts class cancellation, hospitalizations
Coventry, VT –
“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.”
Carbon monoxide exposure at Vermont school prompts class cancellation, hospitalizations | Fox News
Santa Cruz hotel guests suffer carbon monoxide poisoning in leak
Aqua Pacific Inn – Santa Cruz, CA
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.
Santa Cruz hotel guests suffer carbon monoxide poisoning in leak – Santa Cruz Sentinel
CO Alarm UL 2034 Standard Updated to Support Small Businesses in Stopping Tragedies
https://ulse.org/news/lifesaving-alternative-will-support-hotels-restaurants-warning-carbon-monoxide
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Press Release
August 23, 2023
Lifesaving Alternative Will Support Hotels, Restaurants in Warning of Carbon Monoxide
CO Alarm Standard Updated to Support Small Businesses in Stopping Tragedies
Washington, D.C. (August 23, 2023) – Today, UL Standards & Engagement published its updated standard for carbon monoxide alarms — UL 2034, Single and Multiple Station Carbon Monoxide Alarms — expanding coverage to non-dwelling units, namely motels, restaurants, and other indoor locations that do not have more sophisticated detection systems installed. The change also aligns with the 2024 International Fire Code revision that requires carbon monoxide detection for commercial occupancies.
“Detection means prevention of senseless tragedies,” said Dr. David Steel, executive director of ULSE. “So many lives can be saved if there are alarms to make people aware of the presence of this deadly gas. And an alarm is often the only chance at awareness.”
An odorless and colorless threat, carbon monoxide poisoning kills at least 420 people and sends more than 100,000 to the emergency department in the U.S. each year. The numbers may be higher, as symptoms — which include headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and confusion — are easily misdiagnosed.
Carbon monoxide is found in fumes produced by furnaces, kerosene heaters, vehicles in enclosed spaces, stoves and gas ranges, portable generators, pool heaters, and more. When these fumes occur, an alarm is often the first, and sometimes only, indication of a problem. In recent years, carbon monoxide poisonings have occurred in restaurants, daycare centers, hotels and vacation rentals. Only 14 states require carbon monoxide detectors in hotels.
ULSE welcomes proposals to update or develop new standards. The change to UL 2034 was proposed by Kris Hauschildt, founder of the Jenkins Foundation, which she established after her parents, Daryl and Shirley Jenkins, lost their lives to carbon monoxide poisoning in a hotel room in Boone, N.C.
Only seven weeks after the death of the Jenkins, 11-year-old Jeffrey Williams stayed in the same room and succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning. The hotel room did not have a carbon monoxide alarm installed and investigation into the Jenkins’ deaths did not immediately suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, leading to another tragedy.
“Carbon monoxide detection is critical to protecting lives,” said Hauschildt. “Not one life should be lost when the solution is this simple.”
Hauschildt had been involved in the ULSE standards process before, but this update is the first proposal she put forward. She wanted to expand usage of more affordable alarms across small businesses, where governing laws and codes allow them. The revision builds on changes made last year to expand use in commercial vehicles, in response to request by American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council. Last year’s update was critical for truck drivers, particularly those who rest or sleep in their cabs while the engine idles.
The newly updated standard is the product of a consensus process, initiated by Hauschildt, that includes discussion and voting by ULSE’s technical committee. For UL 2034, the committee is made up of 20 members, including manufacturers in the home products space, consumer nonprofits, trade associations, and government agencies, including CPSC (though CPSC is a non-voting member).
“With several options available to detect carbon monoxide, we are removing barriers to doing the right thing. We encourage every establishment to ensure they have a carbon monoxide alarm or detection system. I want to thank Kris and the technical committee for spearheading change that makes it easier to do so,” concluded Dr. Steel.
The full text of UL 2034 can be viewed for free here.
About UL Standards & Engagement
UL Standards & Engagement is a nonprofit organization that translates safety science into action through standards development, partnerships and advocacy. Since 1903, we have developed nearly 1,700 standards and guidance documents for products ranging from fire doors to autonomous vehicles. ULSE enables innovation and grows trust by convening experts and informing policymakers and regulators as we work toward a safer, more secure and sustainable future. Visit ulse.org for more information.
60 students evaluated, dorm evacuated after gas leak at Catawba College, officials say
All-clear after gas leak reported at Catawba College | wcnc.com
Ann Arbor Hotel Cited in Carbon Monoxide Death of Maintenance Worker
Five people in Brunswick hospitalized following CO incident at Walmart


Five people in Brunswick hospitalized following carbon monoxide incident – WNYT.com NewsChannel 13
Carbon monoxide poisoning cases linked to Gridline Racing go-kart track rise to 56
Over 500 evacuated from Boston hotel after CO detected
Carbon monoxide poisons 7 people at Ocala business
Carbon monoxide poisons 7 people at Ocala business (wcjb.com)
Staff, prisoners evacuated after carbon monoxide leak at USP Coleman
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…”
Staff evacuated after USP Coleman carbon monoxide leak (mynews13.com)
6 children hospitalized, 2 critical, due to CO poisoning at apartment complex in Wilmington


Poisonous Gas is a Hidden Danger for Travelers
CO poisoning can cause sudden illness and death in any season.
Poisonous Gas is a Hidden Danger for Travelers | Newark, NJ Patch
CO exposure at Motel 6 in Cedar Rapids, IA
No mention of installed CO detection.
Cedar Rapids Fire Department
The Importance of Traveling with a Portable Carbon Monoxide Detector
“The best way to protect yourself from toxic levels of this gas is by having a working carbon monoxide detector that can alert you if you are in danger.”
The Importance of Traveling with a Portable Carbon Monoxide Detector (yahoo.com)
Generator: 3 children among 6 hospitalized after deadly apartment CO leak
Houston, TX –
“…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.”
Generator inside RW Jenkins Post Office leads to carbon monoxide scare
Tulsa, OK –
“…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.”
Generator inside RW Jenkins Post Office leads to carbon monoxide scare | News | fox23.com
At least 20 people passed out from suspected carbon monoxide leak at Holly Springs concert
Chequit Hotel evacuated twice over carbon monoxide leak
Cobble Hill tenants say calls about high carbon monoxide levels have gone unanswered
Cobble Hill tenants say calls about high carbon monoxide levels have gone unanswered (news12.com)
More than 2 dozen employees hospitalized after exposure to chemical at KCK food processing plant
Employees hospitalized after exposure to chemical at KCK food processing plant (kshb.com)
Lehigh Valley lawmaker trying again to require carbon monoxide detectors in daycares
Pennsylvania –
“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 Depts called to Cedar Creek Cinema after several people fell ill from CO exposure
Vehicle exhaust fills west Madison apartment with carbon monoxide
Madison, WI –
“Firefighters were called to the apartment…after a carbon monoxide alarm sounded…Because of the incident, firefighters were able to discover a malfunctioning garage exhaust system.”
Vehicle exhaust fills west Madison apartment with carbon monoxide | News | channel3000.com
Madison, WI
An occupant at 21 Sayner Court dialed 911 after a carbon monoxide detector inside their apartment building began to alarm. Ladder Co. 2 arrived to the eight-unit apartment building and immediately noted a strong odor of vehicle exhaust in the hallway just inside the front door. The crew used an air monitor to detect approximately 40 parts per million (ppm) of carbon monoxide* in the first floor hallway. Occupants were asked to evacuate to the outdoors for their safety.
Meanwhile, Ladder 2’s crew proceeded to the underground parking structure, where carbon monoxide levels increased to 104 ppm. There were only two vehicles in the garage and neither were running at the time. Firefighters also noticed that the garage’s exhaust system was not turned on. The overhead door was opened to attempt to get some fresh air into the garage.
Firefighters went door to door to obtain additional carbon monoxide readings. Some apartment units had 40 ppm and others had very little. Patio doors and window were opened.
Eventually, firefighters pinpointed a running vehicle parked outside emitting high levels of exhaust. The owner said the vehicle had been parked in the underground lot and found to have a dead battery. After a jump, he took the vehicle outside, where it had been running for the past hour. It is unknown how long the vehicle was parked indoors before being moved outside, but firefighters suspect this was the source of the carbon monoxide buildup indoors.
The incident led to the discovery of a malfunctioning garage exhaust system, which should have alarmed and self-activated upon detecting high levels of carbon monoxide. Firefighters alerted maintenance staff to the problem, and maintenance staff said they would have the system serviced Monday (3/6/23).
With a smile, the person who called 911 asked if they would get a medal for calling this in. The firefighters were lacking medals aboard Ladder Co. 2, but they were sincerely grateful that this person dialed 911 before anyone in the building became ill from the carbon monoxide. After a quick trip to the ladder truck, a firefighter returned to the 911 caller’s unit to say “thank you” and to award them a shiny silver badge sticker.
*Exposure to carbon monoxide can lead to illness and death depending on the level of carbon monoxide in the air and the amount of time exposed to it. Most people being experiencing symptoms after being exposed to at least 50 ppm of carbon monoxide for eight hours or more.
Five people taken to hospital after carbon monoxide leak at downtown hotel, SAFD says
The incident happened just before noon Friday in the 100 block of Soledad Street, at the Hampton Inn & Suites San Antonio Riverwalk.
Fire officials said five people in the gym were not feeling well and their symptoms aligned with possible carbon monoxide poisoning.
All of them were evacuated outside for fresh air before being taken to a local hospital by EMS.
Two of the gymgoers needed further treatment and three others were taken for evaluation out of precaution, according to SAFD.
A Hazmat crew was called to the scene for air monitoring and they found high levels of carbon monoxide in the building, fire officials said.
SAFD crews worked quickly to evacuate the entire building and get each of the floors ventilated. They’re still working to pinpoint the source of the gas leak that led to the carbon monoxide buildup.”
Five people taken to hospital after carbon monoxide leak at downtown hotel, SAFD says (ksat.com)
“Chief Hood says that they are trying to find the source of the gas leak and believe it may be in the heating area downstairs by the pool.”
Olton ISD tracks carbon monoxide leak to gas dryer
Canton police investigating 60-year-old man’s death at the business he owned
Canton, MI –
“…after clearing the scene, firefighters were called back on a report of (another) employee not feeling well. That’s when they detected a dangerous gas…four firefighters and three police officers were also sent to the hospital for evaluation…the deadly gas is odorless, and the only way to prevent such incidents is to install detectors at home and business.”
Canton police investigating 60-year-old man’s death at the business he owned (wxyz.com)
Oread Hotel forced to evacuate after carbon monoxide alarms sound
Lawrence, KS –
“Guests and staff evacuated The Oread Hotel Monday afternoon after a carbon monoxide alarm went off in the laundry room.
Lawrence Douglas County Fire Department (LDCFM) responded around 2:30 p.m. Dispatch reported a carbon monoxide emergency with illness at the Oread, Rich Llewellyn, LDCFM fire chief, said.
‘The fire department had us evacuate the building until they could determine that it was safe to reenter,’ Tad Stricker, the Oread’s general manager, said.
Guests and employees evacuated for about 30 minutes while the fire department inspected the issue, Stricker said.
‘We did find elevated carbon monoxide levels in the laundry room,’ Llewelyn said. ‘We monitored for carbon monoxide throughout the structure and found no elevation outside of the laundry room.’
Four employees went to an urgent care facility after saying they felt dizzy and lightheaded, Stricker said.
According to the hotel, all of the guests and employees are back inside the building, and normal operations have resumed.
‘As a precaution, we have shut down our laundry room until we can determine the cause,’ Stricker said.
Llewelyn said that this is a good lesson for everyone to have a working carbon monoxide detector.
‘Whether you live in an apartment or house or even have a business, it’s always important to have a carbon monoxide detector available,’ Llewelyn said.
University Daily Kansan –
2/14/2023
This EV is wiping out indoor air pollution in ice arenas across Canada
“In 2021, based on the study, Health Canada issued guidelines for improving air quality in arenas. Using electric resurfacers and edgers to maintain the ice, in order to eliminate the main sources of pollutants, was its top recommendation.”
This EV is wiping out indoor air pollution in arenas across Canada | CBC News
Olton ISD back open for Monday classes; carbon monoxide traced to kitchen
17 people recovering after carbon monoxide poisoning at central Utah clinic
Crotona Park East residents evacuated after manhole explosion, carbon monoxide leak
Smith County employees taken to hospital for carbon monoxide poisoning
Glassport landlord accused of putting tenants in danger due to high carbon monoxide levels
Glassport, PA –
“Glassport police said there were such high levels of carbon monoxide that five people have to be treated, and police say 39-year-old Geoffrey Davis was argumentative when they brought the gas issue to his attention. Court papers said on Monday that a 17-year-old boy kept falling without cause. His grandmother called 911 around 5:30 a.m. Paramedics found high levels of carbon monoxide and evacuated the building…Investigators say the grandmother told them her CO alarm had been going off for three days. She changed the batteries and it kept going. She then called Davis and he came two days later. Davis allegedly changed the furnace filter but allegedly never addressed the carbon monoxide alarms…Gas crews told police the building put residents in “imminent danger of death.” They red-tagged the furnace and made it inoperable. ”
Carbon monoxide leak sickens 15 people, prompts evacuation at Hotel Emma at the Pearl
San Antonio, TX –
“A suspected carbon monoxide leak on Wednesday led to 15 people being taken to a hospital and the evacuation of Hotel Emma, San Antonio Fire Department officials said.
SAFD officials responded to the historic hotel at the Pearl around 11 a.m. for a report of a sick person complaining of nausea and headache. Upon arrival, several more people at the hotel complained of the same symptoms.
Most of the victims were hotel staff members and no life-threatening illnesses were reported, SAFD said.
The leak appeared to be isolated to one or two floors, SAFD said.
Hotel marketing officials said it could take several hours to reopen the hotel because crews need to find the source of the leak and repair it.
The Pearl sent the following statement in regards to the incident:
The safety and experience of our associates and guests is our top priority. Out of an abundance of caution, Hotel Emma has been safely evacuated and we are watching the situation closely. We are supporting SAFD’s evacuation efforts and keeping the area clear while they conduct their investigation. Southerleigh, which was also evacuated, will reopen at 4 p.m. this afternoon. The rest of Pearl’s properties have not been impacted and remain open.
The hotel sent a statement at 6 p.m. saying the hotel will not reopen Wednesday night:
In an abundance of caution, Hotel Emma has relocated our guests and staff for the evening and shut down the hotel for the night. We will continue to monitor the situation alongside the SAFD and test again in the morning. We thank the SAFD for their quick response and support. As always, the safety and comfort of our guests and staff remains our top priority.”
Carbon monoxide leak sickens 15 people, prompts evacuation at Hotel Emma at the Pearl (ksat.com)
Hotel Emma employees taken to hospitals with signs of carbon monoxide poisoning
https://www.tpr.org/news/2023-01-11/hotel-emma-evacuated-after-gas-leak-sickens-guests-and-workers
Editorial: Hotel Emma’s close call sounds alarm for carbon monoxide detectors
Waterbury Firefighters Responding to Carbon Monoxide Alarm Find Man’s Body
Waterbury, CT –
“Firefighters found a man dead while they were evacuating an apartment building in Waterbury after a carbon monoxide went off Wednesday morning, according to police.
Police said officers responded to 144 Grove St. at 10:14 a.m. after the fire department contacted them to let them know they found the man deceased in the building.
He was found in a common area of the building, police said, and the investigation was turned over to the detective bureau and Office of Chief Medical Examiner.
Police said the cause of the man’s death is under investigation.
Authorities said the building was later determined to be safe for occupancy.
A representative of CK Management, LLC said they believe that one tenant who reported not feeling well went to the hospital.
They said they are committed to fixing the boiler immediately and it will hopefully be fixed by tonight.”
Waterbury Firefighters Responding to Carbon Monoxide Alarm Find Man’s Body – NBC Connecticut
Carbon monoxide leak sickens 7 at Gaylord Rockies Resort
Aurora, Colorado –
Carbon monoxide leak sickens 7 at Gaylord Rockies Resort | FOX31 Denver (kdvr.com)
“Over one week in 2019, two people went to the hospital after they were exposed to carbon monoxide at the resort, the Denver Post reported. That leak came from work being done in the boiler room, the outlet reported.”
https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article270290182.html
Corps of Engineers Releases Findings of Internal Investigation into Death of Eric Engle
Idaho –
“On Friday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers shared the findings of an internal investigation related to the death of Walla Walla District employee Eric Engle, who was found dead inside the Dworshak Dam on the morning of June 30.
In a statement released on social media, Matt Rabe, Director of Public Affairs for the USACE Northwestern Division, said that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently met with the family Engle to share the findings of the internal investigation.
According to the statement, it was the determination of the investigating team that Engle’s death was not caused by the violation of any safety policies or practices. That statement can be read in full below.”
“Yesterday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers met with the family of Eric Engle, the Walla Walla District Employee who passed away while on duty on June 29 at Dworshak Dam, to share with them the findings of our internal investigation. It was the determination of the investigating team that Mr. Engle’s death was not caused by the violation by USACE of any Army or USACE safety policies or practices. While we will never truly know exactly what happened, our teams will learn from this tragic incident and take steps to reduce the chances of happening to any other employee.”