Carbon monoxide from gas powered pressure washer sends seven people to hospital

At approximately 2:40 in the afternoon of Thursday, April 25, 2024, a call was made to 9-1-1 reporting two people feeling ill after working in the parkade of a large apartment building located on Brentwood Common. When fire crews arrived, they found readings of 50 parts per million (ppm) of carbon monoxide (CO) at the entrance of the parkade and when they went inside, levels jumped to over 1000 ppm. Levels of CO this high can be fatal within an hour depending on an individual's age, stature and physical health. The source of the CO build up was a result of a gas powered pressure washer being used in the parkade. Seven people were assessed and transported by EMS to area hospitals.

Fire crews checked all of the residential areas of the building and found no CO present, therefor, residents were allowed to stay in their units. Access points to the parkade have all been blocked off so that nobody enters this extremely hazardous area. Firefighters are currently working at ventilating the parkade. A large volume fan used for clearing large industrial buildings is being utilized to speed up the ventilation of the CO. Fire crews continue to monitor all areas of the building.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that has no colour, smell, or taste. Long-term exposure can cause sickness or lead to death. The Calgary Fire Department wants you to have working CO alarms in your home, to warn you in case of exposure. If you are exposed to CO gas, you may get flu-like symptoms such as:

headaches
nausea
dizziness
confusion
fatigue
lose consciousness.

Working CO alarms provide the only warning of dangerous CO gases in your home. Most commonly, the main source of CO gas in your home is your furnace, but you should monitor any household appliances which run on fossil fuels, like natural gas and propane.

Yearly tips:

Every year check all the fuel-burning appliances in your house; make sure they are working properly and used properly.
Make sure fuel-burning appliances, chimneys and vents are cleaned and inspected by professionals every year before you start to use them, usually when the weather gets cold.

Indoor tips:

Never use the stove or oven to heat your home.
Make sure to open the flue of your fireplace before you use it.
Never run a car, vehicle or other motor inside a garage, even if the garage door is open.
Always drive your car or vehicle out of the garage right after starting it.
Test you alarms monthly.
Know the expiry date and replace alarms promptly.
Place alarms near or inside your sleeping area .

Outdoor tips:

Make sure your vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, fireplace and other fuel-burning appliances are always clear of snow and other debris.
Only use gas and charcoal barbeques outdoors, away from all doors, windows, vents and other building openings. Never use barbeques inside a garage, even if the garage door is open.
Only use portable fuel-burning generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas away from windows, doors, vents and other building openings.
Make sure portable fuel-burning heaters are vented properly, according to their instructions.
Check the outside and inside walls of your house for cracks, holes, separations, and check for rust, stains or carbon deposits on heating ducts or pipes.
Check the flame on fuel-burning appliances – it should be clear blue with occasional yellow tips.

ATCO has a CO checklist available online which is available in 10 different languages (in addition to English) and can be found here: https://gas.atco.com/en-ca/safety/carbon-monoxide.html

For more information on carbon monoxide and CO alarms that can save your life, please visit calgary.ca/fire

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