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Hotel Evacuated: Deadly Gas Levels Found
20 Feb
Summary
- Approximately 120 people evacuated from a Calgary hotel due to high CO levels.
- Two individuals were hospitalized after feeling unwell from carbon monoxide exposure.
- Cold weather can trap gases, increasing CO buildup in homes, fire officials warn.
In Calgary, approximately 120 people were evacuated from the Emerald Hotel & Suites on Thursday afternoon. Firefighters responded to the hotel near Barlow Trail and 27th Avenue N.E. after two individuals reported feeling unwell in the basement. Upon arrival, crews detected 300 ppm of carbon monoxide in the basement, leading to the evacuation and hospitalization of the two affected individuals.
Further detection of carbon monoxide throughout the hotel prompted a complete evacuation of the building. The Calgary Fire Department, with support from ATCO Gas, was working to identify the source of the gas. Officials noted that levels above 50 ppm necessitate evacuation, with exposure above 400-500 ppm posing severe risks.
Earlier on the same day, fire crews responded to a separate carbon monoxide incident in a Marlborough neighbourhood home. After a CO alarm activated, firefighters found 500 ppm of the gas inside, a level potentially fatal after a few hours. They evacuated an adult and a second patient before shutting off the furnace and ventilating the residence. Fire officials highlighted that cold weather can exacerbate CO buildup by trapping gases, underscoring the critical need for CO alarms on every home level.
