Ames Woman Sickened By CO Leak

Firefighters Credit Their Detectors With Saving Lives

TheIowaChannel.com

updated 3:19 p.m. ET Nov. 16, 2009

An Ames woman found passed out in an apartment was apparently overcome by carbon monoxide fumes, investigators said.

Someone called 911 at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday to report that the woman had been found unconscious in an apartment on 24th Street.

When fire crews entered the unit, their carbon monoxide detectors went off. They carried the woman to safety before reviving her and sending her to Mary Greeley Medical Center.

Crews then evacuated the rest of the complex.

Gas crews came in and found the source of the leak, which they said was in a malfunctioning furnace in one of the units.

"The CO detectors that we carry on our first-out medical bags were truly a lifesaver in this incident," said Ames fire Capt. Richard Higgins. "Crews arriving on the scene would have had no idea without those monitors, so that was really a simple device that saved a lot of lives."

A CY-Ride bus came by to offer residents shelter until firefighters gave the all-clear about an hour later.

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