Four residents and a staff member at Sterling Place nursing home in Baton Rouge, La., were hospitalized Sept. 28 after a carbon monoxide leak was detected, local ABC News affiliate WBRZ reports.
A boiler vent pipe was the source of the leak, officials from the Baton Rouge Fire Department told WBRZ. The boiler was shut up and the facility's fourth floor was evacuated.
The facility's care team contacted emergency services after they "noticed a change with some residents in an isolated area of the facility," Alvin Burton, facility administrator at Sterling Place, told Becker's in a statement.
The statement continued:
"Our care team immediately removed the residents and staff from the affected area and conducted assessments to ensure their safety. We notified the Office of the State Fire Marshal and Acadian Ambulance Service of our concerns and they reported to the facility immediately to help our care team. Since the incident, the Office of the State Fire Marshal has inspected and cleared the area and approved re-occupancy.
"Our residents and staff have returned to their rooms and designated work areas. We are thankful and fortunate to have attentive staff that reported changes in a timely manner. We are also thankful for the assistance from the Office of the State Fire Marshal and Acadian Ambulance Service. Sterling Place used their mass communication software to notify family members and resident representatives of today’s incident."
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning typically include headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion, according to the CDC.