A mysterious carbon monoxide leak at a Pennsylvania daycare recently sent 27 children and staff to hospital, an Allentown city spokesperson said.
Firefighters responded to a call about an unconscious child at the Happy Smiles Learning Center around 7:30 a.m., said Genesis Ortega, the spokesperson. The firefighters’ carbon monoxide monitors alerted them to high levels of the odorless, colorless gas. Further investigation revealed “dangerously high levels” of carbon monoxide, prompting a full evacuation of the building, Ortega said.
Ortega said 27 children and staff were taken to local hospitals, all in stable condition, and another 25 children and staff were treated at the scene.
The cause of the carbon monoxide leak is under investigation, and firefighters remained at the daycare for several hours trying to “mitigate the problem and ventilate the structure,” Ortega said.
Dan Hounsell is senior editor of the facilities market. He has more than 25 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management
