PLAISTOW, N.H. (WHDH) - A grocery store in Plaistow, New Hampshire was evacuated and four employees were taken to the hospital after showing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisioning Monday night.
Plaistow Fire Chief Chris Knutsen said multiple 911 calls came in from the Shaw’s grocery store just before midnight. When crews arrived, they found four employees showing signs of carbon monoxide poisioning, which mirror flu-like symptoms.
“You could start with a headache, dizziness, achiness, general feeling of fatigue to the point when you feel like you can’t move, extreme tiredness,” explained Knutsen.
Fourteen employees were in the store at the time. Knutsen said some of the four eventually hospitalized were so weak, they could not walk and needed help getting out of the store.
Investigators were able to quickly trace the problem to a gas-powered pressure washer being used inside by a cleaning company.
“Any gas-powered equipment, if it’s propane, natural gas, diesel, gas, all those types of engines are going to produce some sort of level of carbon monoxide,” said Knutsen.
The fire chief said employees quickly calling for help made all the difference.
“That was extremely important that someone recognized something was wrong,” said Knutsen. “They did what they were supposed to do, they called 911. They started evacuating the building and because of that they more than likely saved lives.”
Firefighters ventilated the building overnight to make sure it was safe to reopen.
Everyone who was inside is expected to make a full recovery and the Shaw’s was back open for business Tuesday morning.
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