At least 2 children overcome by carbon monoxide at their daycare in #Montreal -
72 children and 10 adults taken to hospital as precaution.
— Mark Day (@1310NewsDay) June 17, 2014
A daycare roughly 40 minutes outside Montreal was evacuated Tuesday afternoon after carbon monoxide was detected in the building.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The School Evacuated 72 Students and Their Teachers
Les Petits Explorateurs De Laval daycare center in St. Eustache. (Google Maps)
According to CTV, roughly 72 students and their teachers were taken to the hospital as a precaution after the carbon monoxide was detected. Government officials told CBC news roughly 5 students experienced serious symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, including headaches and vomiting, and two students fell unconscious as a result of the exposure. Saint-Eustache fire Chief Charles de Rouville told CBC news that a malfunctioning floor cleaner that runs on propane was most likely the cause of the heightened levels of carbon monoxide in the daycare center. CBC News reports fire officials have confirmed there were no carbon monoxide detectors in the building.
2. The School is in St. Eustache
Les Petits Explorateurs De Laval is located on the Boulevard des Laurentides in St. Eustache, Quebec. St. Eustache has a population of roughly 44,000 and is an-off island suburb of Montreal, roughly 40 minutes west of the city. Although the majority of the students and teachers at the school received care at a local hospital, CBC reports two students had to be transferred to Sainte-Justine Hospital in Montreal as a precaution.
3. Parents Have Been Notified
According to CBC News, Quebec Family Minister Francine Charbonneau said parents of children at the daycare center have been notified. CBC News reports the daycare center will be closed through Wednesday.
4. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Can Cause Sudden Illness and Death
(Getty)
According to the CDC, carbon monoxide is an odorless gas often found in combustion fumes. When the gas builds up in enclosed spaces, people and animals can be poisoned by the gas, because it’s easier for red blood cells to pick up CO molecules than oxygen, which ultimately can cut off the body’s oxygen supply, resulting in death.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, dizziness, vomiting and chest pain.
5. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Is the Most Common Poisoning Death Worldwide
The true number of carbon monoxide poisoning cases worldwide is unknown because so few people know the symptoms. However, carbon monoxide poisoning is the leading cause of injury and death due to poisoning worldwide. Carbon monoxide poisoning typically occurs during winter months.