Residents of an Airdrie apartment complex were forced from their homes for several hours on Saturday due to a carbon monoxide scare.


Fire crews were called to the 2000 block of 4 Kingsland Close SE shortly before 5:30 p.m. and arrived to find people evacuating the three-story, multi-family complex.

Carbon monoxide alarms in their residences had gone off and the building’s fire alarm was also activated to safely evacuate the rest of the tenants.

Firefighters swept the building and found elevated levels of carbon monoxide on each floor.

The cause was determined to be a malfunctioning heating system. Snow and ice from the storm built up on an exterior fresh air intake and caused a blockage.No one was injured and displaced residents found shelter in their vehicles or the lobby of a neighbouring building while fire crews cleared the obstructed air intake.

Residents were let back in approximately five hours later after all heating devices were inspected and firefighters cleared all floors of residual CO.

Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas that is often referred to as “the silent killer” due to it being invisible, silent, and odourless.

 

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