Family temporarily evacuated from home because of carbon monoxide levels

The Boone County Fire department responded to a call on the 1100 block of Victoria Avenue for a gas leak/odor Wednesday morning. When firefighters arrived at the scene, they detected high levels of carbon monoxide.

A family was evacuated from the home. The woman told firefighters they felt sick, but shortly after leaving the house, felt fine.

The Boone County Fire Department said the cause of the CO poisoning was from a faulty furnace.

Gale Blomenkamp, with the Boone County Fire Department, said carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer. He said everyone should get their heating appliances (furnace, fireplace, space heater, boiler, etc.) checked once a year in fall.

Blomenkamp said people should have a fire detector and CO detector in their homes, on each floor, and make sure they are working properly.

According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, from 2001 to 2011 statewide there were 122 accidental, non-fire related carbon monoxide deaths. Of those deaths, 58 occurred in the winter months.

The Jefferson City Fire Department and the Columbia Fire Department said they each have responded to 14 carbon monoxide calls since Sept. 1 of this year.