Eight residents of a Gwinnett County apartment complex, most of them children, were taken to hospitals Tuesday morning with symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, officials said.
Gwinnett fire crews were called to the Vida Apartments in the 1300 block of Graves Road after one person became sick, and they soon discovered two dozen others with similar symptoms. According to a spokesman for the fire department, 27 people were evaluated at the scene for varying degrees of illness.
Eight others were taken to hospitals with symptoms that were not considered life-threatening. Most were pediatric patients, fire Capt. Brian Gaeth said in a news release.
“Residents of one of the apartment units reported that the power had gone out overnight and it was soon discovered that a gas-powered generator had been utilized to provide temporary power to that unit,” he said.
The fire department has since ventilated the four-unit building and cleared residents to return to their homes.
Carbon monoxide, a colorless and odorless gas produced by burning fuels like gasoline, is poisonous to people and animals. Typical symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headache, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. It can be a life-threatening medical emergency depending on the length and degree of exposure.
“Firefighters would like to remind citizens that while gas-powered generators are a useful tool during an extended power outage, their use can lead to a dangerous carbon monoxide hazard if not used properly,” Gaeth said. “Remember to run them outside and at least 20 feet away from windows, doors or vents. Carbon monoxide alarms should be installed on every level of the home and outside each sleeping area.”
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