MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Multiple people were transported to local hospitals Tuesday morning after a gas leak occurred at an apartment complex in southwest Miami-Dade.
Local 10 News was at the scene in the area of Southwest 94th Avenue and 40th Terrace, in the Olympia Heights area, as first responders were loading patients on stretchers into ambulances.
One resident said firefighters showed up to the building around 4:30 a.m. and banged on doors, evacuating units. The resident said firefighters knocked down doors to any units that weren’t answered.
More than 20 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the scene to check the carbon monoxide levels in the apartment building.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials confirmed that they received a call overnight about people feeling sick inside the apartment building, and when crews arrived, they detected a carbon monoxide leak.
First responders said the cause of the leak was a malfunctioning boiler at the back of the building.
MDFR officials later confirmed that the property had no working carbon monoxide detectors or alarms.
Although multiple people were taken to hospitals, no fatalities occurred.
“In total, we assessed 60 patients, 22 of which were transported to area hospitals for further care and treatment,” Deputy Fire Chief of Operations Danny Cardeso said.
Local 10′s Joseph Ojo even saw a baby as young as 3 months old evacuating the building, as well.
A family member said in an abundance of caution, they were taking the baby to the hospital to be checked out.
“They are checking everybody. I have a 4 -- that means my carbon level is OK,” resident Frank Rodriguez said.
Ojo also spotted first responders checking the oxygen levels of other residents.
Crews remained at the scene for hours, ventilating units using fans and leaving the doors open. The gas has been turned off.
Once the levels in the building are safe, residents will be let back inside.