Dozens Checked Out After Carbon Monoxide Leak At Baltimore Post Office
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Authorities are investigating a carbon monoxide incident at Baltimore's main post office.
Workers were overcome by carbon monoxide fumes Monday morning.
Rochelle Ritchie reports paramedics checked out dozens at the East Fayette Street complex.
Fire department spokesman Kevin Cartwright says at least one person was taken to hospitals from the main post office complex and between 50-60 others were evaluated at the scene. He says elevated carbon monoxide levels were detected after firefighters responded to a report of a fall at the building about 8:30 a.m. Monday.
Cartwright says paramedics arrived and discovered the man had high levels of carbon monoxide in his system.
"While here on the scene, they were able to evaluate carbon monoxide levels of 38 parts per million, which certainly can be serious," he said.
The man is now being treated at Shock Trauma.
Cartwright says generators outside the building that activated following a power outage a few hours earlier are believed to be responsible for the carbon monoxide exposure.
While the levels of carbon monoxide were not extremely high, any exposure over a period of time could be dangerous.
"It's not significant, but if a person has been exposed to 38 parts per million of carbon monoxide for hours, it can certainly be deadly," said Cartwright.
Officials say the customer service area at the main building was not affected.
The odor was detected by the Baltimore City Fire Department's Hazardous Materials Task Force.
