Durham, NC – Two people were taken to Duke University Hospital Thursday evening as high-levels of carbon monoxide were discovered at a Durham apartment complex.
Durham officials didn’t know the patients’ conditions Friday morning.
The Durham Fire Department responded to an unconscious person call at 10:45 p.m. Thursday at University Apartments, 1500 Duke University Road, which is near Duke’s West Campus.
Emergency response officials recognized the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, monitored for it, and found high levels of carbon in at least two buildings, according to Chris Iannuzzi, deputy chief for the Durham Fire Department.
Common carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms include headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Flu-like, Iannuzzi said.
The buildings were evacuated, temporally displacing about 10 people for about two hours.
Emergency responders then searched for a source and suspected the boiler after they learned it had been turned on around 8 p.m. Thursday, Iannuzzi said.
After the boiler was turned off, emergency responders ventilated the buildings and monitored carbon monoxide levels. People were let back in the buildings after emergency responders determined the carbon monoxide levels were safe and not increasing.
As temperatures start to drop, Iannuzzi recommended that people take steps to protect themselves from carbon monoxide poisoning.
If you are using fossil fuels propane, natural gas, a wood fireplace, a kerosene heater, or anything that is actually burning fuel for a source of heat make sure you have a carbon monoxide alarm and the appliances are checked out annually.
Kerosene heaters are safe to use but require proper oxygen levels. Crack the window about an inch, Iannuzzi said.
Especially in new homes where there are no drafts, he said.
No carbon monoxide deaths have been reported in Durham this year, but one person died in 2015.