Edmonton fire crews found high levels of toxic gas in St. John’s Institute building
An evacuation was ordered and a university student had to be taken to hospital after carbon monoxide seeped through an off-campus student residence.
Fire crews were called Tuesday night to St. John’s Institute in Edmonton, where workers had been fixing the boiler over the past few days. The fire personnel investigated and found a carbon monoxide reading of 47 parts per million, which they say is quite high.
Fire department spokeswoman Nikki Booth says the student’s symptoms were very similar to carbon monoxide poisoning, including headache and nausea.
The building was ventilated and students were allowed back into the building.
But student Amanda Vavrek says she’s going to stay at a friend’s for now.
“The fire alarms have been going off all weekend, which we thought was just a surge in the circuits, but apparently not,” she said. “I don’t really feel that comfortable staying here tonight.”
– The Canadian Press