Canada - 46 people in hospital after suspected carbon monoxide leak at hotel, Winnipeg, July 2019

[dotr]

46 people in hospital after suspected carbon monoxide leak at hotel
"Winnipeg emergency officials say 46 people have been taken to hospital due to a suspected carbon monoxide leak at a hotel.

They say 15 of those people are in critical condition and five are considered in unstable condition.

The City of Winnipeg account tweeted that emergency crews were called to a Super 8 on Portage Avenue at around 10:20 a.m. after an automatic carbon monoxide (CO) alarm went off.

When crews arrived they detected CO at various levels throughout the building, up to 385 parts per million.

They say they evacuated 52 people and staff as well as one dog from the hotel.

Manitoba Hydro has shut off gas to the building and is working to find out what caused the leak."

 

[al66pine]

46 people in hospital after suspected carbon monoxide leak at hotel
... detected CO at various levels throughout the building, up to 385 parts per million....
Manitoba Hydro has shut off gas to the building..."

^ sbm ^ bbm^

Appears (imo) that the ppl in critical condition must have had
longer exposure than the others, or exposure to higher concentration (closer to source), or both. IIUC, ^ number is ppm in building, not in victims' systems.
Wishing speedy, full recoveries to all.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.
Concentration & symptoms:
200 ppm ------ Slight headache within two to three hours; loss of judgment
400 ppm ----- Frontal headache within one to two hours
800 ppm ---- Dizziness, nausea, and convulsions within 45 min; insensible within 2 hours
1,600 ppm --- Headache, increased heart rate, dizziness, and nausea within 20 min; death in less than 2 hours
(more at link)
Causes:
" Sources of carbon monoxide include cigarette smoke, house fires, faulty furnaces, heaters, wood-burning stoves,[52] internal combustion vehicle exhaust, electrical generators, propane-fueled equipment such as portable stoves, and gasoline-powered tools.... Exposure typically occurs when equipment is used in buildings or semi-enclosed spaces.[25]"
^ from Carbon monoxide poisoning - Wikipedia

 

[dotr]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/carbon-monoxide-poisoning-hotel-winnipeg-super8-1.5206755

"Now that all of the patients have been discharged, investigators are speaking about the cause. Their initial findings point to improper venting at the hotel, officials with Manitoba Hydro and the office of the fire commissioner told reporters on Wednesday.

"It appears carbon monoxide in the building built up because of inadequate ventilation related to gas-fired appliances. Instead of being safely vented, exhaust was being drawn back into the building," Chuck Steele, engineering and construction director for Manitoba Hydro, said at a press conference at city hall.

"We still have further testing to do to pinpoint why this happened. We have to get this right."

Chimney exhaust from the boiler was pulled back into the building, said deputy fire commissioner Candace Russell Summers.

Both said their organizations, along with the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service and the Manitoba's workplace health and safety department, are still investigating.

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service chief John Lane said the Super 8 passed its most recent carbon-monoxide detector inspection, in 2017.

Summers said she could not yet comment on the type or number of detectors in the motel, or whether they met regulatory requirements."

 

[PrairieWind]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/carbon-monoxide-poisoning-hotel-winnipeg-super8-1.5206755

"Now that all of the patients have been discharged, investigators are speaking about the cause. Their initial findings point to improper venting at the hotel, officials with Manitoba Hydro and the office of the fire commissioner told reporters on Wednesday.

"It appears carbon monoxide in the building built up because of inadequate ventilation related to gas-fired appliances. Instead of being safely vented, exhaust was being drawn back into the building," Chuck Steele, engineering and construction director for Manitoba Hydro, said at a press conference at city hall.

"We still have further testing to do to pinpoint why this happened. We have to get this right."

Chimney exhaust from the boiler was pulled back into the building, said deputy fire commissioner Candace Russell Summers.

Both said their organizations, along with the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service and the Manitoba's workplace health and safety department, are still investigating.

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service chief John Lane said the Super 8 passed its most recent carbon-monoxide detector inspection, in 2017.

Summers said she could not yet comment on the type or number of detectors in the motel, or whether they met regulatory requirements."

That is a bit perplexing. Where are the CO detectors? They should have gone off well before CO levels reached dangerous levels.