14 People Hospitalized After Dangerous Carbon Monoxide Leak at Yale University Building

A construction project at a building owned by Yale University took a dangerous turn in January 2024, when 14 people were hospitalized after being exposed to potentially life-threatening levels of carbon monoxide.

The incident occurred on January 17 in New Haven, Connecticut. Emergency responders were initially called after a construction worker collapsed unconscious on a sidewalk outside the building. He was taken to the hospital, where medical testing revealed an extremely high level of carbon monoxide in his bloodstream.

That discovery prompted emergency crews to return to the site, where they found 13 additional people experiencing symptoms, including headaches.

According to reports, nine of the hospitalized individuals were construction workers, while the other five were employees of Yale’s security department, which operated from the same building. Four people had been discharged by the time PEOPLE published its report, while the remaining 10 were still receiving medical monitoring.

Investigators determined that workers had been using a propane-powered saw to cut concrete indoors. Although ventilation was reportedly being used, the fumes were not escaping effectively, allowing carbon monoxide to accumulate inside the building.

Fire officials measured concentrations of approximately 350 parts per million, around 10 times the level cited by local officials as a safety threshold. The worker who initially collapsed was transferred to a specialized hyperbaric chamber at Jacobi Medical Center in New York for treatment.

Carbon monoxide is especially dangerous because it is an invisible, odorless gas that can cause serious illness before people realize they have been exposed. Symptoms may include headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea, chest pain and confusion.

Following the incident, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration launched an investigation, and a stop-work order was issued at the construction site.

Officials said the initial worker’s collapse helped alert emergency crews to the hazardous conditions, potentially preventing an even more serious outcome.

The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of proper ventilation, air monitoring and carbon monoxide detection when fuel-powered equipment is used indoors.

Source: PEOPLE

Additional reporting: Associated Press