WASHINGTON — Three children have been taken to the hospital for potential carbon monoxide poisoning.
DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services successfully evacuated a building in the 300 block of Division Avenue, Northeast. The incident began with a call that came in of a chemical odor submerging the three-story building.
Upon arriving at the scene Fire & EMS teams and first responders noticed elevated Carbon Monoxide readings in the building. Given how life-threatening overexposure to carbon monoxide can be, first responders evacuated residents from the building.
As residents were ushered out of their homes safely, Fire & Rescue began searching for the source of the chemical odor and elevated carbon monoxide levels.
Of the residents evacuated from the building, three of them were children. The kids were assessed by medical staff on the scene.
Within 20 minutes of evacuating the building, D.C. Fire and EMS worked diligently to ventilate the building, addressing the carbon monoxide issue. As time passed CO levels gradually decreased and air quality was back within normal limits.
As a precaution, first responders recommended the three children be transported to a hospital for further evaluation. D.C. Fire and EMS has since cleared the scene and deemed the residence safe and habitable.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, most non-fire CO deaths occur in the colder months of the year. Heating systems are the second leading cause of non-fire carbon monoxide poisoning deaths. The CDC says at least 420 people die every year from accidental CO poisoning.
There are ways to prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning:
- Check or change the batteries in your CO detector every six months. If you don’t have a battery-powered or battery-backup CO detector, buy one soon.
- Have your heating system, water heater and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year.
- Keep vents and flues free of debris. Debris can block ventilation lines.
- Never leave the motor running in a vehicle parked in an enclosed or partially enclosed space, such as a garage.
- Never run a motor vehicle, generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline-powered engine less than 20 feet from an open window, door, or vent where exhaust can vent into an enclosed area.
- Never use a charcoal grill, hibachi, lantern, or portable camping stove inside a home, tent, or camper.
- Never run a generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline-powered engine inside a basement, garage, or other enclosed structure, even if the doors or windows are open.
- If you suspect CO poisoning, call 911 or a health care professional right away.
