TITUSVILLE, Fla. --
Workers were allowed to return to the Brevard County sheriffs complex Friday afternoon, hours after 22 people were treated for carbon monoxide exposure.
Several employees reported feeling light-headed and were treated by paramedics, and at one point, Titusville Fire Department crews were preparing to evacuate the 911 dispatch center, a move that could have affected emergency calls throughout the county, officials reported.
Sheriffs officials said calls were routed though the Titusville Police Departments dispatch center.
Calls were not disrupted. The calls are being funneled through the Titusville Police Department, and we are bringing in our mobile command post, Todd Maddox, spokesman for the Brevard County Sheriffs Office, told Local 6 News partner Florida Today.
The incident was reported about 9:30 a.m. Friday at 700 S. Park Ave.
There were two patients checked out initially, and by 10 a.m., we started to have more that wanted to be checked out, said Lt. Jeff Taylor, spokesman for Brevard County Fire-Rescue. They had a carbon monoxide detector going off for a couple of hours.
Officials reported that, in recent days, work crews on the roof had been using gas-fueled internal combustion engines for a project.
Patients were taken to Parrish Medical Center, Wuesthoff Hospital and Cape Canaveral Hospital. It was not immediately known how many of those affected involved sheriffs employees.
Titusville Fire Department crews used two heavy electric fans to help air out portions of the building.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is potentially fatal to people in large amounts and can cause flu-like symptoms as it reduces the bodys ability to take in oxygen
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