11 people, including seven children, had to be hospitalized after there was a possible carbon monoxide leak in a Maine daycare. This terrifying incident occurred on February 12 when staff notified police at 3:20 PM about the potential poisoning.
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The children at the hospital had "non-life threatening injuries" according to police, and luckily there have been no deaths. There were 27 children and around 10 staff members in the building when they made the call, according to Kittery police. After many in the building felt unwell, they made the call and received treatment at Portsmouth Hospital.
7 Daycare Children Hospitalized After Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
By the evening, all patients except one child and one adult managed to leave the hospital. The good news is that doctors expected to discharge them later that night.
At the time, they only suspected it was due to a leak, but now we have proof of how it happened. Boston 25 News reported that authorities said a concrete saw caused the carbon monoxide leak. Workers used this machinery in an unpermitted construction project beside the Building Blocks daycare.
The Office of the State Fire Marshal (FMO) concluded that fumes from the construction site likely blew over to the daycare. According to the FMO, carbon monoxide from the saw's exhaust could've gotten into the HVAC air intake duct or through a suspended ceiling.
Knowing that the project didn't have the proper construction permit, the ones responsible will hopefully be reprimanded. We currently don't know the name of the construction company, nor do we know if the authorities have fined them.
In response to the dangerous predicament, State Fire Marshal Shawn Esler praised the staff for their quick efforts. "It is important to note that daycare providers of the Building Blocks Learning Center recognized a problem and took action.
"They evacuated children and staff to safety and notified the fire department as soon as they recognized something was wrong. Their quick response, the professionalism of the Kittery Fire Department, and the medical expertise of the Portsmouth Regional Hospital helped prevent a tragedy."
According to the CDC, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning every year. This dangerous gas is odorless, colorless, and can lead to death if inhaled for long enough.
