UPDATED, 1:31 p.m. Friday: University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center spokeswoman Cindy Rivers said that the six family members had all been released by Wednesday evening. Four members were treated at a hyperbaric chamber, and the other two members came for observation and were discharged. A housemate was also treated at the hyperbaric chamber and has been released. Due to incorrect information intially provided by the Prince George’s Fire/EMS department, the rest of this post has also been updated.
Members of a family were taken to a hospital early Tuesday morning as a result of carbon monoxide exposure in their home in Fort Washington, officials said.
Monday at about 9:40 p.m., a family called 911 because a 2-year-old suffered a head injury and seizure. The child was taken to Children’s National Medical Center, accompanied by his father, Fire/EMS spokesman Mark Brady said.
When the child was being treated, the father tried to call his family. He called a housemate living in their basement, who said family members were unconscious, Brady said.
The hospital found high levels of carbon monoxide in the 2-year-old, which “more than likely” caused the kid’s symptoms, Brady said. The hospital then contacted the Fire/EMS department was at around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday to go to the house.
When firefighters and paramedics arrived at the house in the 8300 block of Bernard Drive, they found the wife, housemate and three children — some of whom were unconscious Brady said. Emergency personnel removed the individuals from the house and began treating them at the scene before they was flown to the University of Maryland hospital in Baltimore, he added.
Firefighters found carbon monoxide at a level of 450 parts per million inside the home. Officials said that anything over five parts per million is considered unhealthy.
Firefighters believe the high amounts of carbon monoxide were caused by a malfunctioning natural gas furnace. The furnace was turned off and the house was ventilated, officials said.
