By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Carbon monoxide is called “the invisible killer,” and this week several apartment tenants got a dose of that when their apartment received dangerous levels of the gas.
The incident began at 10:37 p.m. on Jan. 11 at 207 E. Wilbarger as the caller requested an ambulance for two sick people, one who was nauseous and another who was short of breath.
Fire Chief Doug Page said the firefighters talked to the patients trying to figure out what may have caused their symptoms, and then they began to think about carbon monoxide poisoning. Another ambulance was called when two other people started having symptoms, and the EMTs also requested the EMS bring a carbon monoxide meter.
Further examination of the apartments after the gas was turned off revealed an exhaust flue in the attic had been been disconnected possibly during storm repairs. Page said that attic holds all four units for the four apartments in that building so the other three apartments also were getting amounts of the odorless gas. Page said the manager was present and the firefighters showed him the problem.
EMTs, along with police officers evacuated the other apartments and ventilated the structure. Two of the apartments had tenants present and one tenant was not home. Page said four people were transported to the hospital, while the other three who were evacuated were fine.

Read more on this story and CO safety tips in the weekend Bowie News.