NILES, Michigan, April 1, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — One child is dead and five more were unconscious when found Saturday near an indoor hotel pool area in Michigan.
Fire officials are saying monoxide poisoning is the cause of the deadly accident which incapacitated 6 children ages 10 through 14, according to a Niles, Michigan, Fire Department official.
Staff members at Quality Inn & Suites reportedly discovered the scene at about 10 a.m. Eastern Time, and called emergency crews as they aired out the pool area.
Thirteen people, including some hotel staffers and first responders, were transported to local hospitals for treatment. A hospital official confirmed that one person was dead on arrival.
Niles Fire Department Capt. Don Wise told reporters that when crews arrived, the carbon dioxide levels in the pool area were 800 parts per million.
“That’s an extreme danger level,” he said, adding that the safety level set by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is 50 parts per million.
Carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas, is produced when a fuel is burned. When too much carbon monoxide is in the air, it can replace the oxygen in red blood cells and can lead to tissue damage or death.
Wise said the hotel was evacuated, and that some guests reported headaches, but the area of extreme danger was the pool room. The fire department cleared all rooms and closets using large fans, but did not immediately let guests into the building.
