Washington County residents rushed to hospital after CO poisoning

Two adults were hospitalized Monday morning for carbon monoxide poisoning after running a gas-powered generator during a power outage, according to a press release from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

Around 10:30 a.m., Washington County deputies responded to a welfare check at a house in Lakeland after the homeowners didn’t answer the door for a regularly scheduled appointment, the sheriff’s office tells 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.

According to the deputies, there was a strong smell of exhaust in the house, and a gas-powered generator was found running in the garage near the screen door leading into the home.

A 71-year-old man and 69-year-old woman were found unconscious in the home with an empty propane heater in the living room.

The two victims were immediately brought to the hospital for treatment, and their condition is unknown.

A deputy on the scene was also treated for carbon monoxide exposure but has since been released.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office reminds people of the necessary precautions to take when using gas-powered generators. If gas-powered devices aren’t used safely, they can produce carbon monoxide, an odorless and colorless gas that can cause illness or death when inhaled in large amounts.

These devices should be used outside or in well-ventilated areas away from windows, doors, and vents. It is important to have working carbon monoxide detectors to alert homeowners to dangerous levels of gas, the sheriff’s office notes.

If you think you’ve been exposed to carbon monoxide, immediately move to fresh air and seek medical attention.

Editor’s Note: This article previously stated the two victims died of CO2 poisoning, and not CO poisoning. It has since been corrected.