12 nearly killed from CO poisoning
Group, mostly children, rushed to hospitals
Updated: Monday, 01 Feb 2010, 7:26 PM MST
Published : Monday, 01 Feb 2010, 7:23 PM MST
FARMINGTON, N.M. (KREZ-KRQE) - Twenty-five people attending a birthday party for a toddler were rushed to hospitals with carbon-monoxide poisoning on Saturday, and 12 of them were nearly killed.
Carlos Quintana said he was using a propane heater to keep his garage warm during the party, and the doors were closed.
During the party, he said two kids fell down and were rushed to the hospital, and more people started feeling sick.
"After they called us from the hospital, we found out it was the heater," he said.
He said he turned off the heater and opened the garage door to let the carbon monoxide vent, but everyone had already been exposed.
While some partygoers went to the San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington, 12 had to be flown to hospitals in Santa Fe, Denver and Albuquerque.
Nine of them were treated in a hyperbaric medical center in Santa Fe, which provides specialized treatment for carbon-monoxide poisoning.
Quintana said everyone is home and OK, and the little girl's birthday will be celebrated Monday night.
Comments that are derogatory, attack other users, offer unsubstantiated facts, use foul language or are offensive in nature can and will be removed as defined by the Terms of Service. KRQE is not responsible for the content posted in this comment section. We reserve the right to remove any offensive or off-topic remark or thread. To mark a comment for review by a moderator, click "Report."
Email This
Print This
View Story on a Single Page