Augusta County, VA – Fire crews responded to a 911 call for a carbon monoxide leak near Weyers Cave on Monday afternoon, where they found several people who had fallen ill.
It happened along the 1200 block of Keezletown Road in in Weyers Cave.
Fire officials told WHSV that four people were treated for getting sick from carbon monoxide, but according to doctors here in the Valley, it’s uncommon for these incidents to happen during the summer.
Doctors said they normally see carbon monoxide cases during the winter months, from heating sources that release the gas, as well as generators used to power such devices.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas.
Breathing it can decrease oxygen levels and, in some cases, cause death.
Doctor Laura Kornegay, with the Staunton-Augusta Health Department, said that in some cases, people may report that their entire family has flu-like symptoms, which can be a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.
“People may get headaches, short of breath, maybe a little bit weak, and it’s pretty unusual, as you might imagine, for the entire family to come down with the flu at the same time,” Dr. Kornegay said.