Carbon Monoxide Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Federal Prison In McDowell Back To Normal Operations After Carbon Monoxide Leak

Things are back to normal at a federal prison in McDowell County after a carbon monoxide leak earlier this week.

A spokesperson for the federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed via email that 26 inmates and five corrections staffers received medical treatment after a carbon monoxide leak was found on Tuesday.

Emergency dispatchers in neighboring Mercer County confirmed that a caller reported the smell of “noxious gas” on Tuesday at 11:32 p.m. Mercer County fire crews were dispatched but called off at 12:14 a.m., before arriving on the scene. The trip from Princeton in Mercer County to the prison in McDowell takes about an hour and 15 minutes.

The prison is serviced by McDowell Gas Co-op in Welch. A representative told West Virginia Public Broadcasting that the carbon monoxide was not a natural gas leak involving lines maintained by the company.

The Bureau has not released any more details at this time.

West Virginia Court Awards Benefits to Rhode Island Widow

The West Virginia Supreme Court says a Rhode Island woman whose husband died of carbon monoxide poisoning at a hotel is entitled to West Virginia workers’ compensation benefits.

The state Workers’ Compensation Board of Review had ruled Louise Moran could not receive the West Virginia benefits because she had earlier been awarded benefits in Rhode Island.

The high court last week overturned the board’s finding, saying Moran was eligible for benefits because those awarded in Rhode Island were suspended in December 2014 after she settled a civil action.

William J. Moran of Warwick, Rhode Island, was employed by a Rhode Island contractor and was staying at a South Charleston hotel when a carbon monoxide leak from the swimming pool’s heating unit killed him and sickened several other people in January 2012.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning a Danger Following Floods

At least three cases of illness due to carbon monoxide poisoning have been confirmed following the West Virginia floods. Here’s what happened:

After the floods, entire towns lost power for days. Some areas continue to experience widespread power outages. To bridge the gap, many residents turned to gas generators, gas or charcoal grills and camp stoves. But when used in an enclosed space or near an open window, these items can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon Monoxide is an odorless, colorless poisonous gas that can cause sudden illness and even death. Symptoms of poisoning include headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and altered mental illness. The Department of Health and Human Resources urges residents to use generators and grills outdoors and call 911 immediately if poisoning is suspected.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, with support from the Benedum Foundation.