After one person died and another was hospitalized with breathing problems early Wednesday, Fire Department officials found that the level of carbon monoxide in their residence was five times the safe level.
Emergency responders were called about 3 a.m. to the Plaza Hills East apartment complex at 13025 E. 16th Place, where two people were having breathing problems, Tulsa Fire Capt. Michael Baker said.
EMSA spokesman Chris Stevens said a 53-year-old man in critical condition and a 51-year-old woman in fair condition were transported by ambulance to St. John Medical Center.
Baker said the hospital notified fire officials that the man had died and that at least one of the patients had elevated carbon monoxide levels.
The Fire Department's Hazardous Materials Unit then went to the apartment to check carbon monoxide levels there, he said.
Firefighters found that carbon monoxide in the apartment was at 53 parts per million, Baker said. The upper level that's considered safe is about 10 parts per million.
None of the other units in the apartment complex had elevated levels of carbon monoxide, he said.
Firefighters determined that the source was the oven and stove in the apartment, Baker said. City code enforcement officials and apartment maintenance crews removed the stove and stopped the leak, he said.
The victims' names were not released Wednesday.
Three additional people had been in the apartment, but they had no symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, Baker said. He said the two who did had pre-existing respiratory problems.
Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that is the byproduct of burning fossil fuels, such as natural gas. Improper ventilation can lead to a buildup of the gas, which can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Because carbon monoxide replaces oxygen in the blood, it can make people feel sleepy, or, if people are asleep, it can prevent them from awakening, according to information from the Tulsa Area Chapter of the American Red Cross.
At higher concentrations, victims can experience impaired vision and coordination, headaches, dizziness, confusion and nausea. In very high concentrations, carbon monoxide poisoning can cause death.
The Red Cross recommends that everyone install carbon monoxide detectors in their homes and recreational vehicles and make sure their gas appliances and heaters are well-vented and in proper working order.
Copyright 2012 - Tulsa World, Okla.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
