12 Carbon Monoxide Poisonings At Joliet Residence: Fire Department

JOLIET — Joliet Fire Department Battalion Chief Jim Batusich announced that around 1 a.m. on Tuesday, his agency took a 911 call about several people struggling to breathe at a particular residence in the 100 block of Iowa Avenue, on the city's east side. Joliet firefighters discovered several people outside the house feeling sick.

The firefighters from downtown Station 1 entered the building with their carbon monoxide detectors and learned that the building had extremely high levels of carbon monoxide, reading over 1,200 ppm.

A total of 12 people lived at the structure.

"Due to the power outage in the area, the residents had a portable gas generator running in the basement that caused the elevated carbon monoxide levels," Batusich explained in his press release. All 12 people, ranging in age from 2 to 40, were taken to the Silver Cross Hospital and St. Joe's hospital by five different ambulances.

Additionally, there were numerous wires down, tree limbs that had fallen on structures and loss of power to homes throughout Joliet. "There were no injuries to report due to the severe weather," Batusich added.