Downtown Apartments Evacuated for Carbon Monoxide Problem

A downtown apartment building was evacuated overnight because of a carbon monoxide problem.

Engine Co. 1 was dispatched to 22 Langdon Street (Lake Towne Apartments) for a carbon monoxide alarm sounding. The 911 caller met firefighters upon their arrival and directed them to the third floor. 

Firefighters detected elevated carbon monoxide levels on all three floors. The highest levels were found on the first floor, at around 200 parts per million, and inside a first-floor apartment at 500 parts per million. Exposure to carbon monoxide at levels of 400 parts per million becomes life threatening within three hours.

MGE was notified and asked to respond. Ladder Co. 1 also responded to the address to assist Engine 1 with ventilating the building.

The source of the carbon monoxide was found to be the building's water heater. Although the carbon monoxide was released through an outdoor exhaust vent, carbon monoxide was re-entering the building through open windows.

MGE shut down the water heater, and Engine 1 and Ladder 1 checked and ventilated each apartment in the building (over 60 apartments). Firefighters noted that there were only two working carbon monoxide detectors in the building. The building owner was made aware of the situation and advised to install more working carbon monoxide alarms as soon as possible.