Barbecue Grill Inside Unit Prompts Evacuation Of Hialeah Apartment Building

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Residents of a Hialeah apartment building were briefly evacuated early Monday morning after carbon monoxide levels reached a dangerous level.

Two people were taken to Mercy Hospital and put in a hyperbaric chamber.

Hialeah Fire Rescue said they tracked the cause of the problem to one unit where residents, who had used a barbecue grill on the balcony for a Super Bowl party, brought it inside thinking the coals were out. They woke up feeling sick and called 911 at about 4:45 a.m.

Firefighters said when they entered the building their carbon monoxide detectors immediately started to alarm and they proceeded to get everyone out.

Residents were allowed to return to their apartments after the levels returned to normal.

Firefighters have a serious warning.

"Carbon monoxide is a silent killer, please never bring a grill inside, never grill inside and never bring a grill that is thought to be off inside, even though charcoal can appear to be off it's still off-gassing this toxic killer gas," said Lt. Paul Garcia, Hialeah Fire.