Four people were hospitalized Thursday after firefighters discovered dangerously high levels of carbon monoxide inside a home in the Feasterville section of Lower Southampton Township, Bucks County. Crews who responded to a report of fumes on Philmont Avenue between Bustleton Pike and Street Road detected more than 1,300 parts per million of the toxic gas inside the residence.
As reported by nbcphiladelphia.com, officials said the incident was under control once crews arrived and that the public was never in danger. The outlet reported that officials had not yet revealed the conditions of the four victims. A separate account from 6abc Philadelphia, however, said authorities described all four as being in serious condition during transport. Some victims were taken away by ambulance, while others were flown out by medical helicopter, according to that report.
Fire Marshal Looking Into the Source
The Bucks County Fire Marshal's Office is now investigating the incident, per the NBC Philadelphia report. Emergency crews remained at the scene as investigators worked to pin down where the carbon monoxide came from, according to 6abc's account, and several pets were also affected, that station reported. Police have not released additional information about the victims or the circumstances that led up to the incident.
Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless and tasteless, which is part of why it's so dangerous — it causes headaches, dizziness and nausea, and in severe cases, death, without any warning smell or sight to tip off the people breathing it in. The Pennsylvania Department of Health notes that CO poisoning remains a concern across the state, especially in colder months when fuel-burning appliances get heavier use and ventilation suffers.
Not the First Scare in Bucks County
Thursday's incident is not the first time carbon monoxide has turned deadly or dangerous in the county. In December 2024, a suspected carbon monoxide leak in a Solebury Township home killed a 76-year-old woman and hospitalized three others, including two medics who were exposed while responding to the scene, according to phillyburbs.com. Those medics were later reported to be in stable condition. And this past spring, autopsies determined that a Bucks County mother and her toddler son died of carbon monoxide poisoning in Milford, though the manner of death was listed as undetermined and Pennsylvania State Police continued investigating, phillyburbs.com reported separately.
Similar close calls have played out elsewhere this year. In February, two people were hospitalized with life-threatening carbon monoxide poisoning at a condominium in Plymouth, New Hampshire, where firefighters recorded readings exceeding 500 parts per million, according to the Boston Globe. Investigators there traced the source to a faulty hot water heater. Nationally, the CDC notes that hundreds of people in the United States die every year from accidental, non-fire-related carbon monoxide exposure, even though the poisoning is preventable.
Free Smoke Alarms Available to Residents
Lower Southampton Township residents concerned about gas detection at home have a local resource to turn to. The Lower Southampton Township Police Department says free smoke alarms are available to any household in the township that needs one, and the Fire Marshal's Office will help with installation by appointment. Residents can reach the Fire Marshal's Office at 215-357-7300, extension 311, to request an alarm or get more information.
