Buhl, MN – Iron Range fire officials are reporting that five people have been taken to area hospitals due to carbon monoxide poisoning in an apartment connected to Billy’s Bar in Buhl, Minnesota.
According to authorities, the incident occurred around 9:15 a.m. Crews from Buhl, Chisholm, Hibbing and Virginia responded to the scene after the building owner, Gary Gamer received a disturbing call from the tenants.
We ran up there and I observed two adults and two young children ages eight and nine, boys on the floor, real sick in their underwear, said Gamer. So right away I said, well we got to get these kids out of the door and call 911. And it turned out to be carbon monoxide.
The Buhl Fire Chief, Josh McDowell told FOX 21 that the CO was most likely caused by a faulty boiler that was reportedly removed by the residents to add a different source of heat. No CO detectors were found at the scene by fire officials.
Change your batteries regularly, get your furnace and water heaters checked and make sure everything’s up to par before the cold season starts. And when you have people coming in to do this work, make sure they’re certified people that are going to make sure you’re safe and your family’s safe, stated Chief McDowell.