OCEAN CITY, MD - The Ocean City Fire Department has confirmed multiple people are being treated following a reported carbon monoxide leak at an Ocean City hotel.
According to authorities, the leak was detected the morning of August 1 and firefighters were dispatched to Ashore Resort on Coastal Highway just after 11 a.m.
A total of 18 patients have been evaluated, according to the fire department. Four of them were taken to a nearby hospital with elevated carbon monoxide levels, according to first responders.
The patients' conditions are currently unknown. OCFD says there are currently no fatalities.
Carbon monoxide, an odorless and colorless gas, can cause sudden illness and death if inhaled.
OCFD says building inspectors, gas company representatives, and the Fire Marshal's Office were on the scene investigating the cause of the leak.
Kane Kennedy, General Manager of Ashore Club and Resort, issued a statement to WBOC at about 4:45 p.m. on Friday.
"Following a thorough inspection by the fire department and the city's building inspector, the cause of the carbon monoxide leak was determined to be a ventilation issue with the boiler," Kennedy said. "The boiler has been shut down and repairs are being made. As of around 1:30pm this afternoon, the fire department and building inspector deemed the hotel safe to operate, at which point staff and guests were allowed back in the building. Normal operations have resumed."
You can listen to the Ocean City Fire Department's official statement here: