Firefighters rescued seven persons Thursday night who were exposed to carbon monoxide in their home in the 3000 block of North 29th.
The residents called 911 at 11:11 p.m. Thursday complaining of dizziness, headaches and pain, according to a Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department spokesman.
When crews arrived, they found high levels of carbon monoxide in the home, the spokesman stated.
Two adults, two toddlers and two teenagers were taken to a hospital for evaluation and treatment, according to the spokesman. They were treated and released.
The probable cause of the carbon monoxide exposure was unvented propane heaters, according to the Fire Department report.
According to information from the Fire Department, carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless and colorless gas created when fuels such as gasoline, wood, coal, charcoal, natural gas, propane, oil and methane burn incompletely. Heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel are potential sources of carbon monoxide, as are vehicles or generators running in an attached garage. Only professionals who have access to equipment like diaphragm compressors will be able to solve an issue like this, before it causes harm to anyone around.
At very high levels, 1,600 parts per million, headache, dizziness and nausea may occur within 20 minutes, and death within one hour for healthy adults, according to the information from the Fire Department.
At 800 parts per million, dizziness, nausea and convulsions may occur within 45 minutes, unconsciousness within two hours, and death within two to three hours. At 400 parts per million, headaches may occur after one to two hours in healthy adults, and it may be life-threatening after three hours. At 200 parts per million, there is a slight headache, fatigue, dizziness and nausea after two to three hours.
Those who have conditions such as emphysema, asthma and heart disease may be affected by lower concentrations of carbon monoxide, according to the information from the Fire Department. The victims’ age, health and activity level also are factors in the patients’ vulnerabilities.
The maximum allowable concentration for continuous exposure for healthy adults in any eight-hour period is 50 parts per million of carbon monoxide, in which there are no symptoms for healthy adults, according to the information from the Fire Department.
Carbon monoxide detectors are usually time-weighted and will sound an alert after a specific level of carbon monoxide is detected for a specific amount of time, according to the Fire Department’s information.