5 People Taken To Hospital After 2 Carbon Monoxide Incidents In Hanson

HANSON (CBS) -- Five people in Hanson were taken to the hospital early Friday morning after firefighters detected high levels of carbon monoxide inside two separate homes. Both incidents are linked to the use of generators following the nor'easter that swept through Massachusetts.

Firefighters responded to a call around 4 a.m. from a family at a home on Pleasant Street after their CO alarms went off. The fire department said they had "slightly elevated levels of carbon monoxide" in the house. Two people were taken to the hospital.

Right before 5 a.m., firefighters received another call about a family on Crescent Place that wasn't feeling well. High levels of carbon monoxide were later found in that home. The three people inside were taken to the hospital.

"Working carbon monoxide alarms are critical to the safety of your family and home," Hanson Fire Chief Jerome Thompson said in a statement.

On Thursday night, five people at a home in Brockton were rushed to the hospital with signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. Firefighters said dangerous levels of CO were found in the home.

Fire Marshals say you should never use a generator inside your home, basement, or garage, or less than 20 feet from any window, door or vent because fatal levels of carbon monoxide can be produced in just minutes.

For more generator safety information, click here.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include a dull headache, weakness, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, shortness of breath, confusion, blurred vision or loss of consciousness. If you experience any of these symptoms, get to fresh air and call 911 immediately.