Toxic gas forces evacuation at Pa. apartments

The Philadelphia Inquirer

POTTSTOWN, Pa. — Fire officials in Montgomery County said high carbon monoxide levels in a Pottstown apartment was responsible for sending two people to the hospital and the evacuation of 30 others.

Just before 5 a.m., police were called to the 25 N. Franklin Street complex by hospital officials alerting them to a possible problem. Earlier a man and woman had driven themselves to the hospital. Medical tests revealed high reading for the toxic gas, said Fire Chief Richard Lengel.

Fire officials discovered "extremely high levels" of carbon monoxide in the boiler room, Lengel said. Other residents were being temporarily housed in a church across the street and then by the building management until they could return to their homes, he said. Lengel said work had recently been done on the heating system which they will now examine.

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