Five people were transported to a Baltimore hospital Sunday night after suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning during a religious ceremony in a Cloverly townhouse, according to authorities.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) crews around 10:30 p.m. to a home on Elm Grove Circle for a report of a person having a medical emergency and experiencing chest pain, according to spokesperson Pete Piringer.
“So when our EMS crew got there, they realized that they had a bigger problem with some other people feeling ill and they were able to determine that it was high levels of carbon monoxide,” Piringer said.
The occupants had been using charcoal burners for a religious ceremony, which led to the carbon monoxide poisoning, he said Monday morning. The burners were used in a “poorly ventilated” area, leading to high carbon monoxide levels.
Of the five who were exposed to the high levels of carbon monoxide, two were children and three were adults. All individuals were transported to the Baltimore-area hospital for hyperbaric chamber oxygen therapy, Piringer said.
A hyperbaric chamber is an oxygen-rich environment and is the main treatment method for high carbon monoxide exposure, according to Piringer.
MCFRS crews measured carbon monoxide levels of more than 300 parts per million (ppm) in the home, Piringer wrote on social media.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, exposure to levels of carbon monoxide above 70 ppm can result in symptoms such as headache, fatigue and nausea. At levels above 150 to 200 ppm, disorientation, unconsciousness and death are possible.
The initial treatment for those experiencing symptoms of carbon monoxide is getting fresh air, Piringer said.
Piringer also noted that the “first line of defense” to prevent exposure is to have a carbon monoxide detector and a smoke alarm.
“Often, you don’t realize you’re exposed and then by the time you have extended exposure to it, you’re not typically thinking clearly so you’re not recognizing the danger that you’re in,” he said. “So that’s kind of why it’s so critical to have an early warning.”