A large emergency response to a southeast Calgary condo complex Thursday afternoon forced close to two dozen people from their homes, according to the building’s condo board.
The vice president of the board, Evelyn Alvares, says there is a CO monitor “in one of the storage rooms and it was triggered by the CO level.”
“So we contacted the fire department and they came out at they evacuated everybody,” Alvares said.
Calgary Fire Department spokesperson Carol Henke said carbon monoxide levels of approximately 300 ppm were initially reported when crews arrived at the complex at 4957 – 130th avenue S.E.
Health Canada describes CO as a gas that has no odor, taste or colour and can only be detected by a carbon monoxide alarm.
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It is produced by burning fuels such as oil, propane, wood or gasoline and can also be very dangerous to your health, even deadly.
Automobiles, wood burning stoves, furnaces and fireplaces are some of the common sources.
Health Canada says the risk of exposure is greatest in colder months because most homes in Canada are heated by appliances that run on burning fuels.
According to information from The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, exposure to a level of 200 ppm for a period of 2-3 hours can cause a slight headache, fatigue, dizziness and nausea, while exposure to a level of 800 ppm can also cause convulsions within 45 minutes and death within 2-3 hours.
…more to come.
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