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Carbon Monoxide Scare Hospitalizes Swansea Family

SWANSEA (CBS) - A family of four is in the hospital after a carbon monoxide scare in their Swansea home.

A mother, father, and two children are being treated at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence after being exposed to extremely high CO levels.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe Reports

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The father called 9-1-1, reporting he and his family were all suffering from flu-like symptoms.

"They put the four people in the ambulance, they took readings of their blood levels, and their was high levels in their blood," Fire Chief Peter Burke said. "Firefighters went in with the meters, and they found 500 parts per million."

Burke added that the family didn't know they were being exposed to high CO levels because their carbon monoxide detector was giving a false reading due to its age.

"It wasn't operating properly and we feel it was because of the age of the CO detector - it was 12 years old," Burke said. "Most manufacturers recommend replacing at 7 years."

The leak was attributed to a malfunctioning boiler in the home.

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