Trending Topics

Mass. family without power poisoned by CO from generator

Deputy Chief Dan Donahue says measurements showed carbon monoxide levels of 500 parts per million in the house

Associated Press

METHUEN, Mass. — A Massachusetts family still without power days after a violent wind and rain storm struck New England was taken to the hospital after carbon monoxide from an outside generator seeped into their home.

Fire officials in Methuen say a woman called at about 3 a.m. Thursday to report that her children were complaining of headaches and nausea.

Deputy Chief Dan Donahue says measurements showed carbon monoxide levels of 500 parts per million in the house. The department typically evacuates a building when CO levels reach nine parts per million.

The children, their mother, and grandmother were hospitalized. No names were released.

Donahue says even though the generator they were using to power the home after the Sunday-Monday storm was outside, it was too close to the garage.