SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - An apartment complex in Southwest Miami-Dade was evacuated after a possible carbon monoxide leak, hospitalizing 22 residents.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue received a call around 11 p.m. Monday about a sick person at an apartment complex on the 9300 block of Southwest 40th Terrace. Crews treated the individual and left, only to be called back around 5 a.m., Tuesday.
After the initial call, dispatchers received multiple reports of gas smells, prompting a massive response of 20 rescue units, including HazMat teams. They assessed those feeling unwell due to a gas leak and carbon monoxide exposure.
“Today around 4:30 [a.m.] the firemen came knocking at our doors, told us to get out and we didn’t know what was going on, but there were people getting sick from gas,” said Frank, a resident.
“We just came out. We went down and we saw everybody, they couldn’t breathe. They were helping them breathe, but everybody was safe. This is all of the people that were left. Some of them went to the hospital,” said Christian, another resident.
“They did all kinds of test to check on us,” said resident Milagro Blanco. “Blood work, all kinds of tests — xrays.”
7Skyforce provided an aerial view of the scene, where approximately 60 people were evacuated and assessed, and 22 were taken to an area hospital to be treated for carbon monoxide poisoning.
After the evacuation, residents were seen waiting as first responders conducted a thorough search to check for the source of the leak.
“When our initial crews responded and arrived to find sick people, their carbon monoxide meters immediately activated, indicating a carbon monoxide leak. They took swift action which triggered a mass casualty and a hazardous material response bringing over 20 of our apparatus to the scene,” said MDFR Deputy Chief Danny Cardeso.
Crews were seen turning off the natural gas supply at the back of the building. After their investigation, they confirmed the culprit causing the carbon monoxide build-up was a leaky boiler for hot water on the first floor of the building.
“We’ve controlled the source of the carbon monoxide and are ventilating the building to bring the carbon monoxide levels down to safe levels. I’ve called code enforcement and we will be working to determine what has occurred and return the building in safe conditions to the owner,” said Cardeso.
On Tuesday afternoon, residents got the OK to return to their units.
“I checked with my resident manager and we got the OK to go home,” said Blanco.
Blanco said that while she was able to return home from the hospital, it’s a different story for her daughter-in-law.
“She is in intensive care,” said Blanco.
Firefighters say the carbon monoxide alarms did not go off for the initial call and it wasn’t until they returned early Tuesday morning that the alarms went off.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is highly toxic and undetectable, which can build up quickly and linger for hours.
Some of the symptoms associated with a natural gas leak are fatigue, severe headaches, memory loss, and loss of concentration. Additionally, in extreme cases, loss of consciousness and suffocation.
Tuesday afternoon a Miami-Dade County Compliance Code officer was seen at the building to conduct their investigating.
The best way to protect yourself from carbon monoxide is to install carbon monoxide alarms in your home, check them every month, and replace their battery when needed.
The conditions of those taken to the hospital are still unclear.
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