Two people were taken to hospital this morning in medical distress following hazardous levels of carbon monoxide being detected inside an apartment complex at 700 Willowbrook Road in Airdrie.

Airdrie RCMP Constable Dan Martin says an adult female and a male child were transported by ambulance to hospital.  Their condition is not known at this time.  Martin says they were alerted by a 9-1-1 call at 9:56 am today.

"Our members along with Airdrie Fire and EMS attended and it was discovered quite quickly that there was a carbon monoxide in the building.  The adult female and male child were transported and hospitalized and the rest of the building was evacuated."

Martin says the building consists of 136 units split into two wings with 68 units on the north and 68 on the south.  Emergency officials believe all of the affected units are on the north side of the complex.  

Martin says, "They have been evacuated.  Some of the units, where there was no answer, the door was breached and opened.  Crews here are currently working to ventilate the building and basically decipher where the carbon monoxide leak is occurring."

Martin isn't sure how long the investigation will take and for that reason can't say for sure how long the building will be evacuated.  "People have been transported via Airdrie Transit to Genesis Place in the interim.  Some people have left in their own vehicles and some people have been picked up by family."

The City of Airdrie has staff working on contingency plans for housing of the residents in the event they can't return to their homes today.  

Martin says the incident continues to evolve and is asking the public to stay away from the area until the investigation is over. 

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