BECKLEY, W.Va. — Eight people fell ill and were hospitalized Monday at the United National Bank building, where firefighters noticed high levels of carbon monoxide.
“It was pretty obvious they had a problem. We took (CO) monitors in and as soon as we went in they went off,” Beckley Fire Lt. Stuart Scott told MetroNews. “It was pretty obvious from the get-go they had a CO problem.”
Readings shortly after 10 a.m. topped 700-parts-per million—anything over 35-parts-per-million is considered dangerous. The problem was believed to have been caused by the heating system in the six-story building on Main Street.
Scott said the original call noted several workers were feeling sick.
“They had dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea. Mostly you get a headache if you are in it for long periods of time,” Scott said.
Everyone in the building was evacuated. All eight workers taken to the hospital were expected to make full recoveries, Scott said.
Firefighters spent most of the day ventilating the building but it wasn’t easy because some of the upstairs windows do not open.