Posted on 08/19/2007 4:12:33 PM PDT by combat_boots
I would suspect that the leak is indeed a leak of an exhaust pipe leading to an industrial burner of some sort. Building boiler unit, perhaps.
OK. Now I am getting interested in the apartment building itself, the address, building type, proximity to campus, areal view of the perimeter, etc.
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Two Virginia Tech students were in critical condition and 15 other people were hospitalized Sunday after a carbon monoxide leak at an apartment complex, police said.
The two women were taken to the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville and their three roommates were taken to Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., after being found unconscious in their beds in the Collegiate Suites apartment complex, police Capt. Bruce Bradbery said. All five women are students.
...
Two of the women flown to Duke could breathe on their own but remained unresponsive, Bradbery said; he described the other as semiconscious. All three were in serious condition, authorities said.
Twelve others were taken to Montgomery Regional Hospital in Blacksburg, where they were in stable condition, hospital spokeswoman Suzanne Barnette said. At least four others were treated on the scene.
...
Bradbery said the cause of the leak appeared to be a faulty valve on the hot water heater in the women’s four-bedroom apartment that was stuck open.
Readings taken by the Blacksburg Fire Department before noon showed carbon monoxide levels of 500 parts per million in the apartment shared by the five women, Bradbery said. People experience symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning at levels as low as 25 parts per million, he said.
...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/19/AR2007081901150.html
>>>While I’m on the subject, will our east coast libs who want to ban guns because of the Korean now want to ban cars or other CO emitters because of this incident?
Actually, yes, they do.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1861913/posts?page=55#55
Cleaner Cars, Cleaner Air
I also see several are in serious condition. That's bad, because prolonged exposure could lead to brain damage. Prayers out for these people!
Looks like gas water heaters. If so, I am surprised this doesn’t happen more often.
Well, there you go; it was a hot water heater, which I presume was burning natural gas. One of the by-products of this burning is CO.
I reiterate, if they're alive now they'll likely be OK. At least I hope so.
One thing that troubles me here is that the culprit device is describes as an open "valve". If its the main heater gas valve which was faulty, the possibility exists that these people succumbed to natural gas, not propane, as this gas would escape from a valve prior to burning and emitting CO.
Hopefully, VA emergency staff have noted this also.
This appears to be the one: http://www.apt-guide.com/nrv/listing/huntcs.html
Google maps puts it on Patrick Henry Lane.
“Features: ... individ. controlled central heat & A/C, security dead bolt locks, smoke detectors, full size W/D avail., lg. storage rooms, trash removal. ...24-hour emerg. maint. On-site property mgt.”
But NO carbon monoxide detectors in the description! Folks, do yourselves and your loved ones a favor and go get a Nighthawk or similar CO detector. At your local hardware store or WalMart. They’re cheap (under a hundred bucks) and very effective. Cheap insurance against just such an occurance.
My wife just told me. I was working a few blocks away. We went to the memorial dedication. 5 people passed out around me. It was a mess.
We are hearing 5 are really bad off.
2 in critical condition! Prayers
This is even worse than you all might think. These people are not going to wake up.
By helicopter? Both are a long way by ground.
Prayers for the Hokies, even from us Wahoos.
Update.
Per the Washington Post: “BLACKSBURG, Va., Aug. 19 — Twenty three people, most or all of them Virginia Tech students, were taken to hospitals Sunday from an off-campus apartment house after showing signs of carbon monoxide poisoning.”
It was 32 who were killed, and here are 23, some of whom are pretty bad off, who are in this incident.
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