Ozark Fitness, located in Poplar Bluff, Missouri was closed for several hours yesterday after emergency workers discovered a dangerously high level of carbon monoxide in the air at the fitness club. At 8:07 a.m., the Poplar Bluff Fire Department responded to a call at Ozark Fitness. Upon arrival, they used a CO meter and determined the CO level to be 800 parts per million (ppm); which is a dangerously high level of CO.
Firefighters evacuated the building and notified Missouri Natural Gas about the situation. The building was closed off until the gas company determined that the pool heater had failed, causing the CO gas leak. The gas was shut off to the building and firefighters used ventilation fans to get the CO out of the facility.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, mild exposure to carbon monoxide can cause headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, and dizziness. Higher levels of CO The CSPC states that sustained CO concentrations above 150 to 200 ppm will cause mental confusion, vomiting, loss of muscular coordination, loss of consciousness and death.
