Elevated CO readings found in Northwest Side home where 1 found dead, 1 seriously injured

Elevated CO readings found in Northwest Side home where 1 found dead, 1 seriously injured

Originally published by Chicago Tribune

Authorities now say that carbon monoxide was believed to be a factor in the death of a woman and the critical injury of a man in an early Wednesday emergency at a Northwest Side home.

A 76-year-old woman and an 80-year-old man were found unresponsive on the floor of a second-floor apartment bedroom, according to police. Emergency crews were called to the apartment in the 6700 block of West Belmont Avenue in the Schorsch Village neighborhood just after 1 a.m. Wednesday.

Investigators said the woman and man were taken to Community First Medical Center, initially for treatment of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning.

Vanessa Hall, a spokeswoman for Peoples Gas, said they were called to the scene by the Chicago Fire department. “When we arrived we got high CO readings,’’ Hall said.

A boiler and a water heater were shut down, she said.

Earlier, police said there were no signs of high levels of carbon monoxide in the home and ruled it out. The woman’s cause of death was expected to be unknown until toxicology tests are completed.

The woman was pronounced dead at Community First Medical Center. The Cook County medical examiner’s office identified her as Sandra Perez of the same block of West Belmont Avenue as she was found, but it listed her age as 75.

The man was most recently listed in critical condition, according to authorities.

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