Blanchard, ND – Four people died in Blanchard, N.D., after a possible carbon monoxide leak, a family member told the Herald on Monday night.
Matejcek, of Blanchard, who owned the home; 27 year old Ricky Fisher, of Blanchard, ND; 24 year old Margaret Fisher, of Portland, ND; 6 year old Jabin Newmes, of Portland, ND.
Four others are in a Fargo hospital:
They are 45 year old Bonnie Fisher, of Blanchard, ND; and three children, ages 4, 2, and 8 months.
Additionally, WDAY is reporting police received a 911 call from 15746 5th St. SE in rural Blanchard requesting help at 10:18 p.m Sunday. They lost contact with the caller before getting more information. Emergency responders arrived on scene and found several people in distress. They rescued three children from the upstairs of the home. Officers then found five more unresponsive persons in the basement. The responders began to feel sick and had to leave the house, but firefighters, with full breathing apparatus, entered the basement, rescued one person, and removed the remaining four, who died on scene.
It appears a propane fueled tankless water heater, which was being used to fill a large swimming pool, was improperly vented, causing carbon monoxide to build up inside the home. No foul play is suspected.
The Traill County Sheriff’s Office and North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation are looking into the case.