UPDATE: Possible Carbon Monoxide Leak Sends Three to Hospital
By: Aaron Nolan
Updated: April 17, 2012
Tuesday morning the Fayetteville Fire Department responded to an obvious odor, as a sewage smell leaked at Elkhart Products Corporation on South School Avenue.
Battalion Chief Mauro Campos said, "There's an odor, there's definitely an odor."
"It was just build up in the sewer."
It was a sewage odor leak near the women's bathroom. The strong smell caused five employees to complain of being light headed, nauseous, and weak, 4 of which were taken to Washington Regional Hospital.
Campos said, "I expect them to make a full recovery."
Part of the building had to be evacuated.
According to Bat. Chief Campos carbon monoxide could be to blame, and the symptoms could have been much worse, "CO takes the place of oxygen, and prolonged exposure can cause death."
"The longer you are exposed to the gases and the bi-products, sewer gas, the longer recovery you have."
In this case, Bat. Chief Campos believes all victims will be okay in the a couple of days.
Washington County Emergency Management and the Fayetteville Police Department were also on scene.
While officials believe the employees should make a complete recovery, fixing the problem might take some time.
Bat. Chief Campos said, "There's no way to stop it, the only way to actually cure it is to have it cleaned out."
The temporary solution is to use electric fans to blow out the hazardous gas.
Elkhart would not comment on this case.
Elkhart is a plumbing fittings manufacturer.
Battalion Chief Mauro Campos said, "There's an odor, there's definitely an odor."
"It was just build up in the sewer."
It was a sewage odor leak near the women's bathroom. The strong smell caused five employees to complain of being light headed, nauseous, and weak, 4 of which were taken to Washington Regional Hospital.
Campos said, "I expect them to make a full recovery."
Part of the building had to be evacuated.
According to Bat. Chief Campos carbon monoxide could be to blame, and the symptoms could have been much worse, "CO takes the place of oxygen, and prolonged exposure can cause death."
"The longer you are exposed to the gases and the bi-products, sewer gas, the longer recovery you have."
In this case, Bat. Chief Campos believes all victims will be okay in the a couple of days.
Washington County Emergency Management and the Fayetteville Police Department were also on scene.
While officials believe the employees should make a complete recovery, fixing the problem might take some time.
Bat. Chief Campos said, "There's no way to stop it, the only way to actually cure it is to have it cleaned out."
The temporary solution is to use electric fans to blow out the hazardous gas.
Elkhart would not comment on this case.
Elkhart is a plumbing fittings manufacturer.
