Family taken to hospital after discovering dangerous fumes in home

HAVERHILL - Two adults and four children were taken to the hospital yesterday afternoon after a faulty heating unit at 104 Portland St. emitted enough carbon monoxide to cause a CO detector to sound.

Deputy fire Chief Brian Moriarty said a 911 call was placed at 2:06 p.m. by residents from the apartment reporting that a carbon monoxide alarm had sounded. He said firefighters from the 16th Avenue fire station were dispatched, along with an ambulance.

Moriarty said he also went to the apartment and when he arrived the adults and children were "awake and alert."

"They were transported to Merrimack Valley Hospital for evaluation," he said. He would not provide the names of the affected adults or children, saying they are protected by privacy laws.
Police were not called to the scene, so they did not have the victims' identifications.

Firefighters who responded brought meters that test the level of the colorless, odorless and poisonous gas in parts per million. Acting fire Chief Rick Borden said the meters indicated a "significant" level of carbon monoxide.

Moriarty said the gas company was contacted and that workers arrived at the house and shut down the heating system in order to service it. He said he was not sure if it was a gas or oil heating system. [Doesn't matter...either one can emit CO if malfunctioning.]

The other apartments in the building were determined to be safe.