By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
- Bloom Township, Ohio — A 96-year-old woman died and 10 people were hospitalized after a carbon monoxide (CO) leak, including 7 Bloom Township firefighters who became ill during the response. FireRescue1
- Scene facts: Crews found multiple people and a pet inside showing CO symptoms; indoor levels measured ~200 ppm. FireRescue1
- Responder impact: One firefighter initially entered without a working CO detector; a second firefighter’s meter alarmed, prompting an evacuation. All 7 firefighters were treated and released (some returned to duty the same day). FireRescue1
- Status: Cause under investigation. FireRescue1
BLOOM TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A carbon monoxide emergency that began with a call from a 96-year-old homeowner left her dead and sent three civilians and seven firefighters to area hospitals Friday morning, officials said. Fire crews arrived around 9:30 a.m. for an unconscious person and encountered multiple occupants—and a pet—showing signs of CO poisoning inside the home. FireRescue1
Fire Chief Thomas Williams said several responders became sick shortly after arrival, reporting nausea, vomiting and headaches. A firefighter who first entered did not have a functioning CO detector; when a second firefighter’s monitor alarmed at dangerous levels, command ordered an immediate evacuation of both occupants and crews. Investigators later measured CO concentrations near 200 parts per million in the residence. FireRescue1
All seven firefighters were transported to OSU Wexner Medical Center, treated and released, and some returned to duty the same day, officials said. The 96-year-old caller was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of the CO leak remains under investigation. FireRescue1
CO Safety Notes for Agencies & Residents: Officials reiterated the importance of working CO alarms on every level of a home, annual inspection of furnaces and fuel-burning appliances, and strict adherence to meter use for responders—even on calls that begin as medicals. FireRescue1