A group of workers are lucky to be alive following a carbon monoxide leak behind a 91原创 City Chapters Thursday afternoon.
The group was working behind the Chapters and Starbucks at 20015 91原创 Bypass in an enclosed space with gas cutoffs, when the exhaust from the gas powered tools began leaking into the open back door of the Starbucks, setting off an alarm inside the coffee house, said 91原创 City Deputy Fire Chief Brian Godlonton.
鈥淭he firefighters took carbon monoxide readings and realized that they were at excessive levels. So they ventilated, identified the risks and ventilated the area and reset the alarms,鈥� Godlonton said.
This was the second carbon monoxide incident City firefighters were called to on Thursday.
Earlier in the morning, a person pressure washing in a parkade found themselves in a similar situation.
There were no injuries in either incident.
鈥淚t is just a good reminder for people who are working in and around closed spaces with power tools to be mindful and cautious of carbon monoxide,鈥� Godlonton said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a colourless, odourless gas that displaces oxygen and you find yourself unconscious quite quickly.鈥�
Unfortunately, these incidents happen more often than people think.
鈥淚n the wintertime, it鈥檚 when people are putting gas heaters in the house 鈥� we鈥檙e seeing lots of people die from that,鈥� Godlonton said. 鈥淎nd in the summertime, it鈥檚 happening when people are power washing, or repairing lawn mowers in enclosed spaces, and so forth.鈥�
miranda@langleytimes.com
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