A suspicious carbon monoxide leak at a Pennsylvania daycare sent 27 children and staff members to hospitals on Tuesday, an Allentown city representative said.
Around 7:30 in the morning, according to Allentown spokesperson Genesis Ortega, firefighters were called to the Happy Smiles Learning Center regarding a report of a child who was unresponsive.
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The smellless, colourless gas was detected in high concentrations by the carbon monoxide sensors of the firefighters. The building was completely evacuated when additional testing indicated “dangerously high levels” of carbon monoxide, according to Ortega.
According to fire captain John Christopher, every ambulance in Allentown was dispatched to the location.
Ortega reported that 27 kids and adults were transferred to nearby hospitals, all of whom were in stable condition.
According to Ortega, 25 other children and employees received treatment on the spot.
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Investigations are being done to determine what caused the carbon monoxide leak. Firefighters were still at the daycare as of late Tuesday morning working to “mitigate the problem and ventilate the structure,” according to Ortega.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning claims the lives of more than 400 Americans each year.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, carbon monoxide can come from a variety of sources, including gas stoves, generators, and other gasoline-powered machinery, car exhaust, gas space heaters, fireplaces, and gas water heaters.
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According to the Mayo Clinic, dangerous circumstances can occur when humans are in enclosed, inadequately ventilated spaces where carbon monoxide is trapped. People who attempt to utilise generators indoors after a power loss risk carbon monoxide poisoning.
The body’s capacity to absorb oxygen can be compromised by excessive carbon monoxide exposure, which can cause substantial tissue damage.