Carbon monoxide poisoning is responsible for hundreds of fatalities, tens of thousands of emergency room visits and thousands of hospitalizations annually, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
These events underscore the importance of carbon monoxide awareness, as well as the steps facility managers and building owners must take to keep individuals and their properties safe to avoid becoming a headline or statistic. Officials at one Texas hotel are dealing with those issues after a recent emergency caused by carbon monoxide.
Three people were hospitalized after a recent carbon monoxide leak at an El Paso hotel, according to KTSM. The El Paso Fire Department was alerted to a possible carbon monoxide leak at the Comfort Suites Hotel after receiving a call from a patient at a hospital regarding carbon monoxide poisoning.
That person was staying at the hotel and called to report the leak. The situation was quickly upgraded to a Condition 3 hazmat situation because the hotel was occupied.
The entire hotel was evacuated, and two additional patients were evaluated on the scene and transported to a hospital. The fire department discovered elevated readings of carbon monoxide inside the hotel. Gas to the building was shut off, and building maintenance assisted first responders. The hotel was ventilated, and Texas Gas and building maintenance evaluated the facility.
Dan Hounsell is senior editor for the facilities market. He has more than 30 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management.?
