San Luis, AZ – Seven employees working at a vegetable processing center at 412 North Industrial Avenue in San Luis, Ariz., were taken to the hospital after inhaling carbon monoxide Thursday afternoon.
According to the San Luis Fire Department, at 2:21 p.m., emergency personnel were sent to the business after receiving reports that several people in the building were complaining of nausea and headaches.
When first responders arrived, all 15 to 20 occupants of the building were being evacuated and taken to a shaded area away from the strip mall.
Three women and four men complained of nausea and headaches, and some were vomiting. Six were transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center via ambulances from SLFD, Somerton/Cocopah Fire Department and Rural/Metro Fire Department. One patient was transported to the hospital by Care Flight due to the severity of their exposure to the toxic fumes.
Three firefighters equipped with a self-contained breathing apparatus made entry to investigate. Once inside, they found extremely high levels of carbon monoxide in the building.
The building was then ventilated and has been shut down and sealed, and will remain closed while an OSHA investigation team from Tucson studies the cause of the incident.
No other injuries were reported. No other details were available Thursday.