2 hospitalized with life-threatening CO poisoning in New Hampshire

Two people were rushed to the hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning after an incident at a condominium building in Plymouth, New Hampshire, on Wednesday.

Plymouth Fire Rescue said they were called to building on Tenney Brook Road around 4 a.m. for reports of people feeling sick. Firefighters logged CO readings over 500 parts per million (PPM) in the unit – a level considered “immediately dangerous to life and health.”

According to the EPA, a reading above nine parts per million is considered unsafe for an eight-hour exposure, and anything over 35 parts per million is considered unsafe after one hour.

Off-duty first responders were called in to assist at the scene. Fire crews removed two people from the home and evacuated the remaining five units of the building. Two residents were transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The source of the CO was tracked to an on-demand water heater, though the exact cause of the leak remains under investigation. Firefighters shut off the gas and ventilated the building until readings were back to zero parts per million.

CO is a colorless, odorless, gas and exposure can be fatal. Residents are urged to have working CO detectors in their homes.

Early signs of CO poisoning include headache, nausea, dizziness, and disorientation. If you suspect a CO leak or if your CO detector goes off, get outside and call 911.