A pool heater is likely the cause of a carbon monoxide leak at a Marysville hotel this weekend. More than a dozen people including at least six children got very sick.
Families describe a fun time at the Hampton Inn pool in Maryville Saturday afternoon before several kids passed out. 16 people in all were rushed to the hospital when the hotel began filling up with dangerous levels of the deadly gas carbon monoxide. Fire crews arrived, evacuated the hotel and started their investigation.
"They were exposed to extremely high levels of carbon monoxide. That could have been life threatening. It just takes a matter of minutes. We're fortunate that the parents there were able to recognize the symptoms affecting their children. And they came to the lobby, and we were able to get them out of the building quickly, " said Marysville Fire Chief Jay Riley.
Chief Riley said the hotel did have a carbon monoxide detector in the pool area but it did not sound an alarm.
"Now the last time that this building was inspected by the State Fire Marshal's Office, the detector did work. Unfortunately, it did not work on Saturday when it was very much needed, " he said.
All the patients were treated and released from the hospital. Some were sent to other facilities to get additional oxygen treatments. The hotel was temporarily closed while fire investigators searched for the cause of the leak but has since reopened.
