Longmont, CO – Poor ventilation in a garage near 17th Avenue and Main Street caused a build up of carbon monoxide and sent two men to Longmont United Hospital on Thursday afternoon, police said.
Sgt. Todd Chambers said the brown, cinder-block garage at 641 17th Ave. is not a business, but where one of the men fixes cars. For some unknown reason, a vent was shut off while the men, whose names and ages were not available, were working.
When the men started feeling poorly, one of them called a friend, Chambers said. The friend went to the garage, where he found the men conscious but lethargic; he called 911, the sergeant said.
“At this point, I don’t have reason to believe it was anything other than what it appears to be,” Chambers said, implying the situation was simply an accident.
The fire department was originally unsure what was causing the men’s symptoms, and asked the hazardous materials team to respond at 4:42 p.m.
With three ambulances, several fire trucks, the hazardous materials truck and at least one police car on the scene, one eastbound lane of 17th Avenue was blocked for at least one hour.
Paramedics at the scene treated three men with oxygen, then took two to the hospital at about 5:18 p.m. without using lights or sirens on the ambulance. Both men were conscious and seemed to be alert as they were put in the ambulance. A third man received oxygen at the scene but was not taken to the hospital.
Police were continuing to investigate on Thursday evening.