Des Moines, IA – Eight people are in the hospital Friday after a carbon monoxide leak.
Des Moines firefighters were called to 1322 11th Street shortly before 7:00 a.m., after a woman had complained about headaches.
When firefighters arrived, the woman caller collapsed at the door. Firefighters saw another person laying on the ground.
After searching the house, they found a total of eight occupants, three adults and five children, the youngest an eight-month-old infant. They were transported to Mercy and Methodist hospitals.
Captain Steve Brown with the Des Moines Fire Department says one of the children was put in a hyperbolic chamber.
Firefighters say their equipment measured high levels of carbon monoxide.
The condition of the occupants has not been released.
MidAmerican Energy says the source of the leak was a rusted out heat exchanger on the home’s furnace.
Carbon monoxide leaks are often caused by broken or rusted pipes from devices like water heaters and furnaces.
“This sounds like it could have been going on the last four days, they got really lucky. If she hadn’t called, I don’t think any of these occupants would have been alive,” said Brown.