Several people hospitalized after carbon monoxide incident at Southampton plaza

SOUTHAMPTON, MA (WGGB/WSHM) – We now turn to developing news we have been following all day, life-threatening levels of carbon monoxide inside a Southampton shopping plaza sending several to the hospital this morning.

At least six people were working to epoxy the floors in a store here at the Red Rock Plaza when they began feeling sick, everyone was able to safely get themselves out of the building but when fire crews arrived they found life-threatening levels of carbon monoxide.

We’ve learned from Southampton’s acting fire chief that emergency crews arrived on the scene shortly before 9 a.m., where they found half a dozen sick people showing signs of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Of the six, four people were taken to nearby hospitals and two refused treatment. We know three of those patients were taken to Baystate Medical Center for more severe symptoms, but none were life-threatening.

Chief Richard Fasoli tells Western Mass News when crews arrived their carbon monoxide meters gave a reading of 299 normal readings for homes and other buildings are 0

Chief Fasoli now warning people about the dangers of carbon monoxide.

“It was an internal combustion machine and they were using it in an enclosed environment. They didn’t have the proper ventilation and they didn’t have any kind of alarm CO meter to let them know there was an issue. If they didn’t self extricate it could’ve been a lot worse,” said Fasoli.

Chief Fasoli advises anyone using this type of machinery to make sure you have proper ventilation and working CO meters. He says any CO reading above 50 can be life-threatening.

Given the number of patients, several local fire departments, such as Easthampton, Northampton, Westfield, and the action ambulance service also stepped in to help Southampton in their response.

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