Residents Sickened by Improper Use of Generators

Residents of two homes were sickened by fumes caused by generators and a fire was started in a third home by improper use of a generator, Prince George’s County fire officials said.

Firefighters went to a home and removed a family of five that were sickened by carbon monoxide fumes from a generator placed too close to a fireplace vent on the house's exterior wall, department spokesman Mark Brady said. The five were taken to hospitals.

Saturday night, a resident put a generator on a front porch near an open door and CO fumes sickened the resident, who was treated by paramedics.

Also Saturday night, a generator placed too close to a house ignited a fire. There were no injuries, but damage was extensive.

In northwest D.C., three adults and three children were hospitalized with carbon monoxide poisoning. One adult suffered life-threatening injuries.

Click here for tips from the National Safety Council on safe use of portable generators.