Dozens Sickened in CO Incident at Ohio Bowling Alley

April 04--STOW -- Crews from 10 fire departments treated dozens of patrons and customers affected by a carbon monoxide problem at the Sto-Kent Family Entertainment bowling alley.

Stow Fire Capt. Mark Stone said the initial indication that something was wrong at the bowling alley came around 11:40 a.m. when the department received a call that a woman had passed out.

By the time firefighters arrived, Stone said, the woman, who was part of a senior bowling league, had been revived.

A check of the carbon monoxide levels inside the bowling alley revealed 350 parts per million, Stone said. A level of 15 parts per million is considered acceptable.

"We don't know the source yet," he said.

A triage area was set up outside to treat the 30 to 35 people who were inside at the time. Ambulances transported an estimated 27 people to area hospitals.

Stone said those most seriously impacted and the elderly were transported first. It took about two hours before the last of the patients were transported from the scene.

Dean Thompson and his wife, Sandy, are members of the Stow Parks and Recreation senior bowling league and were in the middle of their third game when they began to feel dizzy.

"I didn't have breakfast, so I thought that was it," Sandy Thompson said.

Dean Thompson said within a few minutes one of the partners on his team passed out.

"The fire department came and told everyone to go outside, that there was a high level of [carbon monoxide]," Sandy Thompson said. "The bowling alley and the fire department did a great job of evacuating everyone immediately."

The couple said their carbon monoxide levels tested higher than normal and were given oxygen by paramedics. They declined to be taken to the hospital.

Summa Health System hospitals across the region are treating 12 patients who were transported by ambulances to the emergency departments "with what is believed to be carbon monoxide exposure," spokesman Mike Bernstein said.

A total of six patients were taken to Akron City, two to St. Thomas, two to Barberton and two to Western Reserve hospitals, Bernstein said.

"All patients are in the process of being treated but we don't believe any of them are in critical condition," he said

Akron General also is treating five patients in its Stow emergency department and six in the ER on the main campus in Akron, spokeswoman Amy Kilgore said.

Though all patients from the incident at the Akron General emergency departments are stable, those with more serious illness were taken to the main campus, she said. Some were admitted to the hospital.

Two patients were taken to the emergency room at the Cleveland Clinic Twinsburg Family Health and Surgery Center. No information on the patients was available.

According to Bernstein, symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure include light-headedness, headache, nausea and slurred speech.

Nine fire departments assisted Stow with the injured. They include: Munroe Falls, Kent, Hudson, Cuyahoga Falls, Tallmadge, Macedonia, Akron, Twinsburg and the Valley Fire District.

Check back on Ohio.com for updates as they become available.

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