15 Carbon Monoxide Victims Rescued from Bethesda Apartment Building

"Numerous unconscious victims" of carbon monoxide poisoning were rescued from a Battery Lane apartment building Saturday morning, according to a report from the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad.

The squad—which was preparing for its annual open house at 5020 Battery Ln. on Saturday—initially responded to a call at 10:20 a.m. to help one unconscious person at the Middlebrook Apartments at 5015 Battery Ln. When rescue workers learned from building maintenance staff that the man had been working on the building's generator, they suspected carbon monoxide as the culprit, according to the report.

Workers found "exceedingly high levels" of carbon monoxide within a few feet of the building's entrance. They rang the fire alarm, donned breathing apparatus and searched the building for more victims, the report stated.

Numerous victims were rescued from the building and cared for by emergency medical service crews. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service workers assisted with the rescue, and Maryland state police helicopters transported victims to hospitals, according to the report.

In all, 15 people were rescued and brought to hospitals, and more than 20 Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad workers were involved. Rescue workers were on the scene for about four hours. The squad's station (just a few buildings away) was used as a staging point, while also hosting the squad's annual open house, the report added.