From Humboldt Bay Fire:

On February 26th at 0735hrs, two Humboldt Bay Fire (HBF) units responded to a Medical Aid at an apartment complex on the 1800 block of Myrtle Ave for possible Carbon Monoxide exposure to three patients. The first HBF engine arrived on scene and found three patients (one adult and two juveniles) outside the apartment complaining of carbon monoxide exposure symptoms that included headache, nausea and near fainting. HBF Paramedics assessed the three patients and discovered they had all been exposed to toxic levels of Carbon Monoxide throughout the evening while sleeping. All three patients were treated on scene with high flow oxygen and transported to St. Joseph Hospital by ambulance for treatment.

While the patients were being treated on scene, HBF personnel entered the apartment in Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) and discovered high levels of Carbon Monoxide within the apartment and contacted PG&E. The other apartments in the complex were also monitored for Carbon Monoxide and Humboldt Bay Fire awaited the arrival of PG&E.

PG&E arrived on scene and evaluated the apartment. They found the wall heater was not functioning properly and producing a fatal level of Carbon Monoxide within the apartment. Humboldt Bay Fire also discovered that a Carbon Monoxide Detector was present within the apartment but was not functioning due to dead batteries.

Humboldt Bay Fire reminds everyone to have a working Carbon Monoxide detector in their home and to replace the batteries on a regular basis.