More than 20 people taken to the hospital after carbon monoxide leak at SW Miami-Dade apartment building
MIAMI - Residents of a southwest Miami-Dade condo were allowed to return home after a frightening wake-up call early Tuesday morning involving carbon monoxide.
Emergency crews were sent to the Hemingway Villa condominiums, near the intersection of SW 94th Avenue and Bird Road, twice.
Residents said the first time was around 11 p.m. Monday and they treated someone not feeling well. Then, around 4:30 a.m., they were called back out. This time more people felt unwell.
"When our crews responded and arrived to find sick people, their carbon monoxide meters immediately activated, indicating a carbon monoxide leak," said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief of Operations Danny Cardeso.
Around 20 fire rescue units were called in. Firefighters went door to door telling residents of the building they had to leave their units. Their doors were then left open to help ventilate the building.
CBS News Miami spoke with one resident who was hospitalized along with his 56-year-old mother.
Ramses Loaces said, "I am still lightheaded and I have a bit of a headache. My mom is still in the hospital. They put her in a decompression tank in bed to see if the levels would go down. It was all very abrupt. We woke up at 5 am to a loud bang on the door from paramedics and EMT guys."
He said, "I was taken to the hospital and I got discharged a little while ago and when I came back they had me on a respirator and oxygen for 3 or 4 hours. It helped me feel a little better but I am still shaken up by the situation. Carbon monoxide you know, you can't smell it and we woke up and we didn't know what was going on. You never prepare for the worst and thank God that was not the case today."
A spokeswoman for the building's management company told CBS News Miami that the situation was "out of anyone's control and items give out." She said the Association Board was being proactive and assessing the doors that were impacted and trying to resolve the situation."
"Knocked on the door and told everyone to leave their units and leave the door open, gas fumes or some sort in the building," said resident Frank Rodriguez.
Crews Rescue promptly assessed 60 residents and fortunately, no fatalities were reported.
"I came out and I went down. I saw everyone who couldn't breathe. They were helping them breathe," said Christian Bracamonte.
"Carbon monoxide is dangerous anytime because it's a colorless, odorless gas," said Cardeso.
Twenty-two people were rushed to local hospitals for necessary treatment. The rest were moved across the street to wait until the building was declared safe.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said the source of the leak appears to be a malfunctioning boiler in the back part of the building. They were able to control the leak and air all 27 units out. Once the building was declared, the residents were allowed back into their homes.