Three Hospitalized after Using Propane Oven in Willimantic, CT, House

Nov. 24—WILLIMANTIC — Three people were taken to the hospital with symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning Sunday after they fired up a commercial style oven fueled by a propane tank indoors without ventilation, a fire official said.

The users reported they normally used the oven outside, the fire official said, but because of the weather they brought it indoors.

Two of the patients taken to the hospital were later flown to New York City to undergo treatment by hyperbaric chamber for carbon monoxide poisoning said the fire chief, Marc Scrivener.

The incident was reported a little before noon when firefighters were dispatched to an address on Gifford Avenue for smoke and "possibly two people unconscious," Scrivener said.

Firefighters arrived to find no smoke, but quickly determined it was a "carbon monoxide incident," Scrivener said. He said two of three people affected reported that they had briefly passed out. Six people had been present in the home and all were accounted for, Scrivener said.

"The family was using a propane fired commercial style oven to bake bread in the kitchen that was connected to a (20 pound) propane cylinder. The oven was not vented," Scrivener said in a news release later that evening. "Firefighters were told it was usually used outside, but because of the weather, it was brought inside to bake."

Three people were taken to Windham Hospital, Scrivener said. The fire marshal's office was also called the to scene, he said.

Upon entering the home, firefighters confirmed the gas canister and oven were both off. At entry, crews reported the level of carbon monoxide had reached 50 parts-per-million, but was at 250 PPM and climbing before firefighters exited to ventilate the home, the fire chief said.

Firefighters ventilated the home and got the carbon monoxide level down to zero, Scrivener said.

He said firefighters found no working carbon monoxide detectors in the home.

Scrivener said the third patient not transferred to New York City for hyperbaric treatment was being treated at Windham Hospital.

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