ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – One person was taken to a hospital after a carbon monoxide leak at an apartment building, Roanoke County Fire and Rescue personnel said.
A medic unit responded around 7:45 a.m. Friday to the 4300 block of Garst Mill Road in the Cave Spring area for a report about a person who was sick.
Officials said the crew met a person who was very ill inside an apartment. A recently purchased single gas monitor on the EMS bag went off as they were starting their assessment of the patient.
The crew evacuated the ill patient, began ventilation and asked to have the call upgraded to a carbon monoxide alarm call, officials said. Additional resources were brought to the scene.
Officials said crews used gas detectors that are already standard equipment on the fire truck to determine that there were high levels of carbon monoxide present throughout the apartment building.
Fire crews went door to door and evacuated the entire apartment building. Officials said approximately three residents were experiencing minor symptoms and were evaluated at the scene.
Only the initial caller was taken to a hospital, officials said.
The carbon monoxide leak was located by Roanoke County Fire and Rescue crews. Officials said the leak was stopped with the help of building maintenance and Roanoke Gas.
The carbon monoxide leak was caused by a malfunctioning stove in the apartment of the initial caller, officials said.
Roanoke County Fire and Rescue personnel said the situation could have been much worse for the residents of the apartment building had it not been for the recently purchased gas monitors on the EMS bags.
"Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that is very dangerous and potentially lethal," Roanoke County Fire and Rescue said. "It is often called a 'silent killer.' It is a product of combustion."
Roanoke County Fire and Rescue is encouraging everyone to have a carbon monoxide alarm in their home and to test it and change the batteries just like you would your smoke alarm.