Residents Of Apartment Treated For Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

PLEASANTON, CA — Residents of an apartment complex on Stoneridge Mall Road in Pleasanton were treated for acute carbon monoxide poisoning Sunday night, a Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department battalion chief said. The concerned residents, who noticed a strong odor of natural gas, called 911 after their smoke/carbon monoxide detector sounded multiple times.

Firefighters detected high readings of carbon monoxide and discovered that the water heater inside the apartment was emitting 300 times more carbon monoxide than it should.Fire officials said the residents, who complained of headaches for several days, were treated at the scene for acute carbon monoxide poisoning and were released.

"Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly less dense than air," Battalion Chief Jack Neiman-Kimel told Patch. "When it is breathed in, the carbon monoxide molecule binds to the red blood cell and takes the place of oxygen. Without oxygen the body starts to break down. Carbon Monoxide poisoning can lead to death if the person is left in the environment for any length of time.”

Fire officials urge all residents to have smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in their homes and to test them regularly.

Photo via Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department