Brighton, MI – Six families were displaced and an elderly couple hospitalized due to carbon monoxide poisoning at a Brighton apartment building.
Deputy Chief Michael Evans said an elderly couple in the 1600 block of Grand River Avenue near Superior Drive reported around 6:15 p.m. Monday that they were both feeling ill.
Responding emergency crews discovered extremely high levels of carbon monoxide in the couple’s apartment as well as eight other units in the building, Evans said.
Fire officials determined the cause was a malfunctioning boiler, which appeared to have sustained fire damage inside, Evans said. The boiler was destroyed, he noted.
Firefighters spent about two hours on scene airing out the building and checking the air quality level. They also installed smoke alarms as the alarms in the old building were not functioning, Evans said.
The elderly couple was hospitalized in critical condition. As of this morning, their conditions had been upgrade to stable, Evans added.
Although the air quality was deemed safe again, the building remained without heat, Evans said.
Three families who had safe electric heaters were allowed to stay in their apartments, but the remaining families were displaced. Those families were either assisted by family members or the American Red Cross.
Building officials with Brighton Township and the county were expected to inspect the building Tuesday.