Douglas, MA – Eighteen people, 16 of them kindergarten students, were taken to the hospital Monday morning after a carbon monoxide leak at the Douglas Municipal Center, the fire chief said.
A malfunctioning boiler caused the leak at about 9:15 a.m. at the Municipal Center on Depot Street, according to Fire Chief Kent Vinson.
Fire officials were alerted to the leak after the building’s facility manager smelt exhaust fumes, said Vinson.
“Luckily, he was there and alerted me right away,” said Vinson.
The building does not have carbon monoxide detectors, said Vinson.
The Municipal Center houses a primary school, Town Hall, and the police station, a fire dispatcher said. About 90 people were evacuated, including 77 kindergarten students, said Vinson.
The people taken to the hospital are doing well, and were to be released Friday evening, he said.
The building is expected to reopen Tuesday and class will resume, he said
“We’ll continue to monitor the levels throughout the night,” said Vinson. “But so far, everything looks OK.”