Henrico, VA—A Henrico family of five suffered carbon monoxide poisoning inside their home Sunday morning; two of them, including an 11-year-old boy, were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Henrico County Division of Fire responded to a report of a fall at a home in the 3600 block of Croydon Road.
Once crews entered the home, they found a 34-year-old female woman lying in a tub; she told them that she had not been feeling well for a while, and that all five people in the home had been suffering from headaches and weakness.
Suspicious of a carbon monoxide leak, fire crews retrieved the gas monitor. They were able to determine that CO levels were 190 parts per million inside the home; the level for which fire crews take action is 10 parts per million.
The home was immediately evacuated, and fire crews in self-contained breathing apparatus re-entered the home and removed the woman lying in the tub.
In total, all five family members tested positive for CO in their blood; two victims, including an 11-year-old boy, were transported to VCU medical center. Both of these victims had CO readings of 18%. The other three family members refused transport to the hospital.
Fire crews determined that the cause of the CO leak was a damaged furnace. The furnace was shut down and the home was ventilated before the family was allowed to come back inside.
Henrico Fire Division sent out the following statement after the incident: "If you have any fuel burning appliance in your home you need a carbon monoxide detector. CO is a colorless odorless gas that is produced during the burning process. "
Copyright 2013 by Young Broadcasting of Richmond
