LITHOPOLIS, Ohio (WCMH) — One person is dead, and 10 others, including seven firefighters, were hospitalized after being exposed Thursday to carbon monoxide southeast of Columbus in Bloom Township.
According to a sheriff’s deputy in Fairfield County, multiple people were taken to a hospital after a report of carbon monoxide poisoning at a home on Slough Road Northwest in Bloom Township. The home is located southeast of Canal Winchester and east of Lithopolis.
Emergency units responded to a 911 call at around 9:30 a.m. after reports of an unconscious person. Bloom Township Fire Department first arrived at the scene and discovered multiple individuals inside the home exhibiting symptoms consistent with carbon monoxide poisoning, including a family pet.
“Extremely high levels; CO at levels like that are extremely dangerous,” Bloom Township Fire Chief Thomas Williams said. “It’s what we call an IDLH atmosphere: immediately dangerous to life and health. So as soon as they had those readings from that initial monitor, they all evacuated.”
A 96-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene and three additional family members, along with seven firefighters, were overcome by carbon monoxide, according to the sheriff’s office. The CO levels are too high to go back into the home, the sheriff’s office said.
“Most of them had headaches,” Williams said. “A couple of them were nauseous, looked like they were potentially vomiting, and a couple of them felt fine. But I just sent everybody because of the exposure that they had.”
It was not immediately clear if the 96-year-old died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Officials have not identified any of the victims as of Thursday evening.
