Vomiting and headaches

Family ends up in hospital due to faulty gas boiler

The family had to be taken to hospital. (symbolic image)(Bild: Matthias Lauber/laumat.at)

A family of six in Linz had been suffering from headaches for days, with some members vomiting. After finally calling the emergency medical service, they immediately raised the alarm. The carbon monoxide detector had gone off because the gas boiler - as it later turned out - was faulty.

A police patrol was called to Landwehrstraße at around 8.15 p.m. on Friday because of a faulty gas boiler. When the officers arrived, the professional fire department was already on site and the apartment of a Turkish family of six could already be entered as there was no longer an elevated carbon monoxide level.

Detector tripped
The family stated that they had all been feeling very ill for four to five days. The symptoms they described were headaches and vomiting. They had therefore informed the emergency medical service this evening. He had attached a small carbon monoxide detector to his emergency bag, which rang loudly and audibly as soon as he entered the apartment.

Apartments had to be opened
All the windows in the apartment were opened immediately and the fire department was notified by emergency call. The family was first treated and then taken to the Kepler University Hospital. In the meantime, the professional fire department carried out CO measurements in the entire residential complex. Several apartments had to be opened by the fire department due to the absence of the tenants.

The boiler was turned off
At 8.30 p.m., employees from Linz AG arrived and also carried out measurements - the values were still high. At around 10.30 p.m., further measurements were taken in the affected apartment. After high readings were again detected, the gas boiler in the apartment was switched off.