LAWRENCE, MASS. (WHDH) - Nearly a dozen people, including two children and two EMTs, were hospitalized after officials responded to a carbon monoxide leak in Lawrence Thursday morning.
Lawrence police and firefighters could be seen going in and out of a building at 157 Lawrence Street, where officials told 7NEWS high levels of carbon monoxide were detected.
First responders were originally called to the area for a reported gas leak around 9:30 a.m. and quickly sealed off part of the neighborhood in response.
At the address, officials found four people suffering from high levels of carbon monoxide in a third floor apartment, in addition to seven workers at the building’s street-level restaurant, Pollo Cibao, who required evaluation.
Using handheld meters, Lawrence Fire officials said the CO levels they initially detected were “off the charts,” prompting the large response and an evacuation of neighboring apartment buildings.
Lawrence Fire Deputy Chief Matthew Nadeau said crews who conducted a preliminary investigation also found multiple issues in the building that led to the high readings. He noted that several inspection officials were needed for the scene, including electric, gas and building inspectors.
“There was a furnace on the second floor that caused the high levels of CO for the second and third floor(s),” Nadeau said. “And the CO on the first floor was a faulty stove, so it was totally different incidents.”
First responders said 13 patients were evaluated following the incident, with five taken to Lawrence General Hospital and six taken to Holy Family Hospital in Methuen. Two others were evaluated at the scene, but declined transportation for further medical care.
Of the patients brought to Lawrence General, two children, believed to be 10-11-years-old, and three adults were receiving treatment on Thursday. A nursing supervisor at the hospital told 7NEWS she believed one of the children and one of the adults may need pure oxygen treatment in a hyperbaric chamber, a level of care that might require a transfer to facilities in Boston.
“We ended up receiving five patients – two children and three adults – two of which have fairly high levels of CO and may need a transfer for a higher level of care which (we’re) still evaluating that,” said ER Supervising Nurse Kim Moriarty. “And two EMTs who had a low level and will probably be OK and discharged.
By the early afternoon, some residents from the building’s second and third floors were allowed to return to their apartments while the restaurant remained closed for the time being.
As police and emergency workers started to clear the scene by the early afternoon, Nadeau reminded the public to check their CO and smoke detectors during the holiday season. He said working detectors were a concern as officials swept through the scene.
“There (were) no CO detectors on any level – and smoke detectors were taken down,” Nadeau explained. “It’s very important that we all have CO detectors on every level and working smoke detectors.”
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