OCEAN CITY, MD - The Ocean City Fire Department has confirmed multiple people were 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.
OCFD says there were 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."
On Saturday, the Ocean City Fire Department said all four adults taken to the hospital were in stable condition and were employees of the hotel working on the first floor near the boiler room.
“Unfortunately, some scanner platforms and social media pages reported the incident as a ‘mass casualty’ without context, which led to unnecessary fear in the community,” said Ryan Whittington, Community & Department Engagement Officer for the Ocean City Fire Department. “To be clear, there were zero fatalities. In Maryland, the term ‘Mass Casualty Incident’ is used purely to describe a situation where multiple patients require care beyond the capabilities of the initial EMS response. It does not imply deaths or critical injuries.”
You can listen to the Ocean City Fire Department's initial statement here: