Lancaster, PA – Park City Center was forced to delay opening Thursday after a generator spewed carbon monoxide throughout the building.
Lancaster city fire battalion chief Jeff Oatman said contractors working on an electrical system had to shut down the power where they were working and started an emergency generator.
Oatman said an exhaust system is installed in the area where backup generators for the mall run, but failed to properly alleviate the exhaust from the large diesel generator.
A majority of the mall opened at 10:15 a.m., about 15 minutes later than normal.
Kohl’s department store opened around 11:30a.m. as fire fighters continued to vent the areas.
One person was taken to Lancaster General Hospital with a severe headache, Oatman said.
Five others complained of headaches and nausea but were not treated or transported.
Mall workers and shoppers waited outside the mall before getting the OK to enter.
Oatman said some readings of CO were measured at over 300 parts per million.
If the exhaust system had been working, Oatman said there would not have been a problem.
He said Park City will make repairs to better ventilate the exhaust from the emergency generator when they have to run it.