WARREN - Thirty or so people had to be evacuated from the downtown YMCA Wednesday morning due to a carbon monoxide scare.
Executive Director Rich Denamen said an issue with the chimney was causing the exhaust from the boiler to be forced back into the building at 210 High St. N.W. The problem was discovered after a couple members reported smelling an odor in the weight room, Denamen said.
Fire Chief Ken Nussle said some of the people removed were complaining of headaches, but none needed medical treatment.
Firefighters found an initial carbon monoxide reading of 182 parts per million inside the building and it spiked to 942 parts per million in the basement, where the boiler is located. The building was ventilated and readings decreased, the chief said.
Nussle called the levels potentially lethal.
According to the chief, 200 parts per million level causes mild headaches in an hour, and quadruple that will cause people to become nauseated and / or lose consciousness in an hour. At 1,000 parts per million, a person will lose consciousness in 30 minutes.
Denamen said a repairman was there Wednesday afternoon and the plan was to open at 5 a.m. today, but members should call ahead to make sure.