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Carbon monoxide overcomes 8 in central Las Vegas

Updated November 23, 2018 - 4:19 pm

Eight people were poisoned by carbon monoxide early Friday in central Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas Fire Department tweeted that a barbecue grill was being used for heat inside an apartment on North 16th Street near Mesquite Avenue.

All victims were lying on the ground outside when fire and rescue units arrived around 3:15 a.m. The adults and at least two children were taken to University Medical Center. Their conditions are unknown.

Carbon monoxide can build up when people use charcoal grills indoors, a common but dangerous practice used to keep homes warm, Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said.

“There’s no signs or symptoms of carbon monoxide gas,” Szymanski said. “So it overcomes people and they can pass out without warning, and it eventually makes your breathing stop.”

Szymanski said the carbon monoxide readings were at zero when the Fire Department left the apartment. Once the victims are discharged from the hospital, they can return home.

Contact Rachel Spacek at rspacek@reviewjournal.com. Follow @RachelSpacek on Twitter.

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