News

Building emptied due to gas levels

Patrons at Paul’s Club and Espresso Royale Cafe on the 200 block of State Street and residents in the apartments above evacuated the building Saturday due to high levels of carbon monoxide.

The Madison Fire Department responded to 210 State St. after receiving a 911 call from someone in a third-floor apartment indicating that people were feeling ill.

Bernadette Galvez, spokesperson for the Madison Fire Department, said those who responded said the air “took their breath away, but there was no smell.”

The response crew backed off immediately and called for full response.

Galvez said the people in the building evacuated on their own, and no one was ill enough to be transported to the hospital.

“When carbon monoxide hits you, it feels like you are having the flu,” Galvez said, but added “nobody wanted to be checked out by the ambulance.”

Ladder 6 hazmat crew checked the building for volatile organic chemicals but found nothing. However, high levels of carbon monoxide were present on the second and third floors of the building. No readings were found in the basements, restaurants or first floor.

There were no carbon monoxide detectors in the building, Galvez said, which can be dangerous because you can’t smell or see carbon monoxide.

“Smoke detectors you are required by law to have. CO you [aren’t],” Galvez said. “It’s wise that everybody have a carbon monoxide detector. … They are a little more expensive but worth the extra cost.”

Ellen Despins, owner of the 210 State St. building, said Madison Gas and Electric is investigating the exact cause, but she thinks it could have been a faulty furnace in one of the apartments.

After the initial response and carbon monoxide readings, MFD left the scene and allowed MG&E and the owner to take over, Galvez added.

“[The building] has been cleared, and we have detectors everywhere now,” Despins said.

Galvez said the residents of the apartments said there had been a similar incident about a month ago. However, Despins said there have not really been concerns in the past.

MG&E could not be reached for an update on the investigation.