At Least 5 Sickened at Bank of America

At least five people were sickened at Bank of America's Oyster Bay branch Friday from the apparent effects of carbon monoxide.

Firefighters responded in force to the scene at 157 South St. about 9 a.m. Friday and discovered "five or six" people complaining of headaches and dizziness.

Additional ambulances were called to the scene, diagonally across South Street from the Oyster Bay Fire Department, and firefighters from Oyster Bay, Atlantic Steamers, East Norwich and Syosset worked quickly to ventilate the building.

Firefighters reported that elevated levels of carbon monoxide, reported at 100 parts per million (ppm), were present in the bank. When exposed to higher concentrations for prolonged periods, the gas is potentially lethal. For example, in the United States, OSHA limits long-term workplace exposure levels to 50 ppm.

At least one person was transported to an area hospital for evaluation. The others were being evaluated at the scene.

The cause of the incident remains under investigation.

This is a breaking story; Patch will offer updates when they become available.

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