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Dozens of carbon monoxide (CO) incidents occur in U.S. hotels every year. Many of these incidents result in unnecessary harm to guests, including permanent brain injury and death. CO poisoning is easily preventable with safeguards that include adequate CO detection, emergency protocols and staff education/training. So why do these incidents continue to happen? Because many states do not require hotels to have such safeguards in place, and because there is no federal requirement mandating that hotel guests be protected from CO exposure.
According to ncsl.org, only 14 states in the U.S. require the installation of CO detection in hotels under statute. Most of these requirements apply only to newly constructed hotels, and most do not require detection in all guest rooms.
Carbon Monoxide Detection and Alarm Requirements: Literature Review (nfpa.org) – published February 2021, this report details which states adopt CO detection requirements for hotels and other types of commercial occupancies via NFPA and ICC codes
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Insufficient data is a contributing factor to getting adequate safety requirements in place. To help bring attention to this issue, we began tracking these incidents:
Database of U.S. Hotel/Motel CO Incidents – compiled using publicly available sources
Download the spreadsheet (last update 9-28-2024): Excel or pdf
Read about the origin of this database here.
** It is recommended to always carry your own carbon monoxide alarm when traveling **
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Published hotel CO incident data 1989 – 2018
“Analyzing the National Fire Incident Reporting System to Identify Carbon Monoxide Incidents in the U.S. Lodging Industry” (2021, Preventive Medicine Reports) 1999-2018
- NFIRS data identified 3405 CO incidents in the U.S. lodging industry
- Lodging industry CO incidents occur at far greater rates than previously realized
- There is a larger public health risk associated with lodging industry CO exposure
“Carbon Monoxide Poisonings in Hotels and Motels: The Problem Silently Continues” (2019, Preventive Medicine Reports) 2005-2018
- 115 incidents
- 22 deaths
- 905 injured (guests, employees/owners, rescue personnel)
“Carbon Monoxide Poisoning at Motels, Hotels and Resorts” (2007, Amer. Journal of Preventive Medicine) 1989-2004
- 68 incidents
- 27 deaths
- 772 injured (guests, employees/owners, rescue personnel)
“Saved by the Carbon Monoxide Alarm” (2009, Amer. Journal of Preventive Medicine)
“Fatal Carbon Monoxide Poisoning at a Motel” (1989, Journal of the American Medical Association)
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Interactive map of hotel CO incident data 1967 – to date
– Jenkins Foundation data plus NFIRS-National Fire Incident Reporting System response call data
- includes incidents reported in NFIRS, 1999-2020
- available to view at REM Risk Consultants
map courtesy of Patrick Smith, REM Risk
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Anatomy of CO Exposure at a Hotel – Boone, North Carolina, 2013
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Additional Resources/Information
Medical Report: Comparison of Four Low-Level CO Alarms Suitable for Home Use and When Traveling (UHM 2022)
It Costs $30 and Saves Lives. Why Don’t Many Hotels Install Carbon Monoxide Alarms? (NY Times 7.30.2022)
Hotel Ethics and CO – Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (2.24.2022)
Victims of Carbon Monoxide Call on Hotels to Step Up Safety Procedures (NBC Chicago 2.21.2020)
Hotels: A Hidden Source of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (Forbes 1.9.2020)
Why are Guests Still Dying from Hotel Gas Leaks? (Charlotte Observer 1.24.2018)
Hotel Incident Puts Focus on Carbon Monoxide Detectors (CNN 4.4.2017)
Best Western to Mandate Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Every Room (Charlotte Observer 9.23.2014)
Hotels Don’t Need CO alarms, New (IFC) Rules Say (USA Today 6.23.2014)
Families to NC Lawmakers: Carbon Monoxide Alarms in Every Hotel Room (Charlotte Observer 6.4.2014)
Hotel Guests Face Carbon Monoxide Risk (USA Today 11.15.2012)
Doctors: Hotels Need Carbon Monoxide Alarms (USA Today 11.15.2012)
Development of a Technical Basis for CO Detector Siting (NFPA Fire Protection Research Foundation 10.8.2007)
Hotels Treat Carbon Monoxide Alarms with Disdain (Patient Care Online 6.6.2007)
A Normal Life: A Sister’s Odyssey Through Brain Injury – A real life look at what its like to live with permanent brain injury caused by CO exposure. Lyrysa Smith writes about the survival of her sister, Molly Weber, following a severe CO poisoning incident in a hotel room that took the life of her husband, Walt.
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