Family of 7 in Burnsville treated for carbon monoxide poisoning
BURNSVILLE, Minn. — First responders rushed seven people from the same home in Burnsville to the hospital this week.
They all had carbon monoxide poisoning.
"Headaches, vomiting," said Jose Munoz, one of the victims. "We actually thought it was food poisoning at first."
Munoz's family, including a baby and a young child, felt the same way, and Munoz took those symptoms seriously.
"When we called the emergency line, they had us check around," he said. "We got a whiff of the actual gas leak downstairs."
Burnsville fire crews quickly found the culprit to be carbon monoxide from a malfunctioning furnace. Munoz and his six family members are feeling better after a trip to the ER.
"It's something that I really don't hope upon anybody," he said.
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Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas.
Fire officials say that's why it's so important to have working detectors in the house.
"We go on probably several calls a week, especially this time of year as people start to use their furnaces, close their windows," said Jayson Knutson, an inspector with the Burnsville Fire Department. "Fortunately, most of them we're getting called for is because their detector's going off in the home."
Munoz didn't have detectors, a problem he'll now be fixing.
"Definitely check them," he said. "Check them, replace them, do what you got to do, daily basis, maintenance on it. Replace them if they don't work. Family's doing good. Hope this story helps the next person down the road."
Detectors are recommended on every floor of the house and within 10 feet of sleeping areas.
Symptoms of poisoning can be fatigue, headaches, upset stomach or trouble breathing.
In high concentrations of carbon monoxide, it can take fewer than five minutes to get carbon monoxide poisoning. Under lower concentrations, it can take an hour to two hours to cause poisoning.