Carbon Monoxide Scare Forces Evacuation of Two Apartment Buildings

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Fairfax County fire and rescue crews evacuated a pair of Oakton apartment buildings Tuesday afternoon after high levels of carbon monoxide (CO) were discovered in both structures.

Units responded at about 2:45 p.m. to the garden apartments at 2817 Jermantown Road and 3013 Borge St., according to the Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department.

Carbon monoxide detectors alerted apartment occupants to the presence of the gas, the department said. CO is colorless, odorless and tasteless, and it can be deadly in high concentrations.

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Upon arrival, the firefighters encountered high CO readings in the parking garage of the apartment buildings. They evacuated all occupants of the 108 apartments for more than three hours while the CO gas dissipated.

Fire investigators found that a maintenance crew using two gasoline-powered pressure washers caused the high CO readings within the living areas of both apartment buildings, the department said.

Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips:

• CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home and in other locations where required by applicable laws, codes or standards. For the best protection, interconnect all CO alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for placement and mounting height.
• Choose a CO alarm that has the label of a recognized testing laboratory.
• Test CO alarms at least once a month; replace them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• If the audible trouble signal sounds, check for low batteries. If the battery is low, replace it. If it still sounds, call the fire department.
• If the CO alarm sounds, immediately, move to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door. Make sure everyone inside the home is accounted for. Call for help from a fresh air location and stay there until emergency personnel arrive.
• If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not covered with snow.