PORTLAND, Ore. — Five people were taken to the hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning Sunday afternoon, Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) reported. Fire officials said the poisoning was caused by use of a generator and cooking with propane indoors.
The people were conscious and breathing when they were taken to the hospital, fire officials said. Their current medical status is unknown.
Thousands of people remain without power in the Portland metro area as the region deals with freezing temperatures and the aftermath of Saturday's severe winter storm. Fire officials warn against using a generator inside, even for those looking for a way to stay warm during power outages.
"DO NOT use generators indoors because carbon monoxide is a silent, colorless, odorless, tasteless killer," PF&R said in a social media post.
On Sunday, shortly before 3 p.m., fire crews responded to an apartment complex near the intersection of Southeast 148th Avenue and Powell Boulevard.
Isabela Royer lives across the hall from the family who was poisoned. She said one of them knocked on her door asking for help.
"He’s right there and he says, 'help me, please,'" Royer said. "I walk out into the hallway, and I look down the stairs at the bay window seating area and his child is throwing up, heaving, obviously sick."
Headache, confusion and vomiting are all signs someone has breathed in too much of the colorless, odorless gas.
"I dragged the kid outside to get some fresh air and some other guy from their family pulled up and started pulling the rest of the people out of the house," Royer said.
Royer called 911 and PF&R arrived. Fire crews found a high volume of carbon monoxide inside the apartment and evacuated nearby apartment units.
"It was terrifying," she said. "I didn’t know there were more people in the house either or I would have helped get them out."
Royer said she thinks the family was just trying to stay warm when they got sick. Across the street, a powerline is down. A tree fell on the line, cutting the power and preventing anyone in the complex from turning on the heat for the past day.
"The door to their apartment was open and I saw the generator and I knew right away," Royer said.
Portland Fire said using a generator and cooking with propane indoors caused the carbon monoxide poisoning.
"I just really hope they’re OK," Royer said. "Be aware of the hazards, especially when the weather is like this. Gas generators are not meant to be used inside, especially with no ventilation at all."
A PF&R spokesperson said fire crews were dispatched to 17 carbon monoxide calls on Saturday, but did not know how many of those calls were false or actual calls or if anyone was injured.
