6 people hospitalized for suspected gas poisoning

Half a dozenpeople from a southeast Calgary business are in hospital, includingone man who is in critical condition, for suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.

The initial caller to 911 saidhe found a coworker unconscious Thursday afternoon inside a company called White Ice, which makes paint and equipment for ice surfaces, and reported that he was also not feeling well.

Emergency crews that responded to call from the building in the 4800 block of 32 Street S.E. found levels of carbon monoxide as high as 400 parts per million.

A safe level is considered to be no more than25 parts per million during an eight-hour shift. Carbon monoxide has no odour or colour and in large doses can overwhelm one's bloodstream depriving the brain of oxygen.

Some of the people who worked next to the paint shop in the Foothills Industrial ParktoldCBC Newsthe man who collapsed had been driving a forklift inside the building with the doors closed.

"The fire crew had lifted him and put him onto the stretcher and immediately into the ambulance and started CPR on him," said Allen Matti who works nearby.

EMS said six people were taken to hospital, including:

• A 61-year-old man in critical, life-threatening condition.
• An 18-year-old male in serious but stable condition.
• Two females in stable, non-life threatening condition.
• Two males in their 40s, in stable, non-life threatening condition.

Calgary police are investigating, but fire officials acknowledged the forklift may have been a factor.

In December, an elderly Calgary couple died of carbon monoxide poisoning after a car was accidentally left running in their attached garage. Their son and eight emergency responders were sent to hospital.