25 Hospitalized after Carbon Monoxide Incident at Holy Ghost Hall

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI—Multiple people fell ill at the Holy Ghost Beneficial Brotherhood function hall after a reported carbon monoxide incident in East Providence Saturday night.

A total of 25 people were sent to the hospital, said East Providence Fire Chief Oscan M. Elmasian.

East Providence firefighters were dispatched at around 9:30 p.m. and a swarm of ambulances were dispatched soon after upon the detection of elevated carbon monoxide levels.

The gathering hall, which was filled with anywhere from 150 to 200 people was evacuated. People inside the building were attending a pig roast function and several people fell unconscious while others began to suffer nausea, headaches, dizziness and other symptoms associated with carbon monoxide exposure.

About a dozen total rescues were sent and crews from across the area were dispatched to provide mutual aid, including Providence, Warwick, Pawtucket, North Providence, Barrington, North Providence, Attleboro, Mass., Cranston, Warren, Bristol and Lincoln.

The situation was deemed under control at around 10:30 p.m. and mutual aid units began to trickle back to their originating communities.

According to multiple reports, carbon monoxide levels inside the building were more than 200 parts per million. Most people start to feel ill effects above 70 ppm.

Numerous people who left the scene and went home only to end up being transported to the hospital after feeling symptoms.

People who were at the event, which took place the night of a significant snow storm and a city parking ban, said they did not see or hear any carbon monoxide alarms or detectors.

The incident is being investigated.

This story is developing and being updated.